Crash, Burn, Drown
by LupinePhyre909
Summary: Oh hey, he's fire, she's water, they're gonna hit it off! Um... no. Because she's a psycho midget, and he's obsessed with personal space, and oh yeah! There's a serial killer after them that they can't fight! Oh wait... that's not the worst of it... damn.
1. Comic Relief

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my brain and my computer. Since Raize lives in my head, I own her too.

Warnings: tiny bit of Kuwa bashing at the very end. Nothing personal, it just seemed funny at the time. :P Mild language, maybe some OOCness... idk. Pairings in later chapters.

A/N: Chocolateluvr13 – my first review! Thanks! ^^ Actually I started a story a while back with this pair, but kinda dropped it when I got stuck in the middle of the first chapter. Sad, huh? -.- So this is it, completely rewritten, revised, and reinvented. Hope ya like it! :)

_EDIT: Phyre's brain: it gets better in the later chapters... _

_Phyre: BRAIN! Come back here!_

_Phyre's brain: really, it gets better. The first few chapters suck and she hasn't rewritten them yet._

_Phyre: brain! That's mean._

_Phyre's brain: suck it up; the truth hurts. But hey, it's her first fic (With chapters, le gasp!), so don't murder her. Not yet. _

_Phyre: brain... get... your ass... back here... nao._

_Phyre's brain: time to face the music... hey brainless! You lookin' for me?_

_CRASH BANG THUMP CRUNCH WHAM THUD._

_Phyre: I REGRET NOTHING! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

_Phyre's brain: oh hell._

…

1. Comic Relief

"Yusuke!" Koenma greeted the detective. "We have a problem."

"What now, pacifier breath?" Yusuke yawned and stretched grumpily. He'd been peacefully napping in an armchair in the living room when Koenma called.

"Find your team and come to Spirit World immediately."

"Fine, fine. Be there in ten."

Kuwabara and Kurama were easy to find. Hiei? Not so much, but they eventually tracked him down just before Botan pulled out her whistle. The fire youkai had been asleep in a tree – naturally.

Three minutes later, they were in Koenma's office, watching the toddler pace nervously across the room and back again.

Yusuke broke the tense silence, fed up with waiting. "Okay, Koenma. You dragged us up here, now what the hell's goin' on?"

"Yusuke, it looks like you'll have another person joining your team," the tot replied with a sigh.

"And this has you worried... why?"

"Well, because -" He was cut short by a crash, then a thud and a surprised yelp from outside. A second later, the door slammed open on its hinges, protesting against a black combat boot attached to a sight that almost made Yusuke faint.

She was dressed in a gray pilot's jumpsuit, sleeves rolled to the elbows. Her figure was lithe and slender, very subtly curved, and she moved with the natural grace of a dancer. But it wasn't any of that, or the waves of fearsome youki radiating off of her, or her stunning, fiery green eyes and snow-white hair that nearly knocked Yusuke unconscious.

_She was shorter than Hiei._

By about an inch, if his eyes weren't tricking him. He started to laugh, only to be stopped dead by the cold, murderous glare she shot in his direction.

"Where – you were – the prison guards -"

"- Are in need of some serious ass-kicking boot camp, Ko-enema," the youkai snarled at the spluttering prince. "That... was pathetic."

Yusuke snickered. He liked this one already. "Ko-enema? Better than 'pacifier breath'. I'll remember that one," he muttered to himself.

"Yusuke Urameshi, am I right?" She asked, turning toward him with her hands on her hips.

"You know me?" He blinked.

She snorted. "Who doesn't?"

"Eheh. Sadly, that's a good point," he grinned, scratching the back of his head. He was rewarded by a half-smirk on the youkai's face. "Who're you?"

"Ahem. Yusuke, this is Raize. Raize, your new team."

Raize's foot whacked Koenma neatly in the face, leaving an imprint of the sole of her boot across his nose and cheeks. "I can introduce myself, thank you," she growled. "So who are the other three, Urameshi?"

A redhead stepped forward politely, holding out his hand. "Kurama."

Raize actually shook his hand, taking note of the sharp intellect concealed in mirror images of her own eyes, and reserved something that might've been respect for the fox. "You're an animal spirit. Um... kitsune, am I right?"

He smiled. "You are."

"I see." She tilted her head inquisitively – there was something familiar about that name. She'd heard it before... from... A gasp flew from her throat. "Youko. You're Youko Kurama." Then she laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, I just now realized that. What's your human name?"

Kurama raised his eyebrows. Smart, this one. "Shuuichi Minamino."

"I'll remember it," Raize grinned. "And the others?"

Yusuke sighed. "The dumbass with his mouth hanging open over here is Kuwabara, and Mr. Grumpy in the corner is Hiei."

Raize snickered. "Okay then. Nice to meetcha."

Koenma finally managed to stand up again and was presently brushing himself off. "You realize of course this wouldn't be necessary had you not tried to kill a fellow youkai, Raize," he chided.

She moved like a bolt of lightning, one minute there and gone the next, pinning the toddler up against the wall by his throat four feet off the ground. "He tried to _rape _me, you _idiot!" _She snarled through clenched teeth, squeezing him until he let out a strangled squeak. "What would _you _have done?" Without waiting for an answer, she dropped him in an unceremonious heap and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her so hard the frame cracked.

Yusuke turned wide eyes to Koenma, jaw falling slightly open. "Oh, tell me you _didn't, _pacifier breath. That's an all-time low, even for _you."_

Koenma coughed and rubbed his neck. "She was arrested for her own safety, Yusuke, you have to realize that. We couldn't keep an eye on her any other way. See, Raize is a water youkai. If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be, unless her former 'master', the youkai that assaulted her, taps into her slave marking."

"Then why didn't you just arrest her master?" Hiei snarled. He was standing in the corner, deathly still, like the quiet before the storm.

Four pairs of eyebrows arched, surprised at his voice, but only Kurama saw the rigid stillness in him and bothered to wonder what it meant.

Koenma blinked. "We couldn't," he said simply.

"So that's what you need us for, huh?" Yusuke asked.

The tiny prince nodded. "I need you to look after Raize until you find Aidan and either dispose of him or bring him back here. She'll help you with the details, since she knows what he looks like and how to find him."

The spirit detective shook his head as they turned to leave. "I don't know if Raize _needs _looking after," he grinned. "But I'm leaving this guy's fate up to her."

They caught up with Raize outside, surrounded by unconscious guards. She was perched on a rock, arms wrapped around her knees, perfectly still. A darkly amused smile shadowed her face. "And they wonder why they can't catch Aidan. Hell, they can't even hold me for one night." Her voice was mocking.

"Yeah, well, that's why they hired us," Yusuke answered, leaning against the rock beside her. "So what's the story behind this guy, anyway?"

She jumped lightly to the ground, avoiding his eyes. "I'd... rather not talk about it. I appreciate your concern, believe me, but it's not something I'm comfortable with discussing just yet."

"Oh. Okay."

"Do you have a place to stay?" Kurama asked, before the silence turned awkward.

Raize smiled. "I don't need one, but thanks for asking."

Kuwabara snorted. "So what, shorty, do you sleep in a tree or something?" He was still suspicious of her, most likely because of the uncontrollable youki that had flared around her in Koenma's office earlier.

A wicked grin flashed over her face and suddenly the tall man was on the ground, face-down and groaning. "I'm sorry, exactly who are you calling 'shorty'? And yes, I do sleep in trees. Is there a problem with that? If there is, I'm sure I can kick you out of your house and take over your room in a day or two."

Yusuke snickered. Koenma had been wrong. This girl would be a handful, yeah, but not a problem. If nothing else, she'd be a good source of comic relief.


	2. Mr Grumpy

Disclaimer: I own nothing! *sobbing, running away from angry mob*

Warnings: one blanked-out occurrence of f*** and some other mild language, Raize's lazy accent, probably some OOCness. ^^U Eheh. Don't really have an excuse for that.

A/N: This one is more subtle humor than anything else. I tend to write to go with whatever mood I'm in, so... yeah. Enjoy anyways, and r&r if I ask nicely? :3 Feedback makes my day brighter.

2. Mr. Grumpy

That night, Kurama lay awake in his bed, reading by lamplight. He was almost done with the second-last chapter when Hiei let himself in. The fire youkai stalked over to a chair, turned it backwards, and sat down, staring off into space. His eyebrows were scrunched down in annoyance.

"Hello to you too," Kurama smiled, shaking his head without taking his eyes from his page. "What's on your mind?"

"It's noisy outside. Easier to think in here," Hiei answered curtly.

Kurama arched one eyebrow. "This is about earlier, isn't it?" The question earned him a murderous yet affirmative glare. "What, are you dumbfounded by the fact that she's actually shorter than you are?" He teased, laughing at his friend's expression.

"Baka fox. Didn't you feel it?" His eyes turned incredulous.

The kitsune sighed. "A bit. It was worse for you, wasn't it? You didn't just sense it, you heard it in your mind, too, didn't you?"

"Hn."

"Admit it, Hiei. That was truly frightening."

"I couldn't block it."

"Excuse me?" Kurama's eyes widened and he sat up.

"You heard me."

"What was it, that you heard – just out of curiosity?"

Hiei growled two words, and they were all Kurama needed. "F***ing hell."

The kitsune leaned back again, eyebrows up. "Do you think you couldn't block her because her element neutralized yours?"

Hiei shook his head. "I don't know. Possibly." He closed his eyes and set his chin on his folded arms. "The woman needs a shrink."

Kurama tossed the book he'd been reading at him and it bounced off his head. "You _could _help her, you know."

Hiei threw it back, clipping the kitsune's ear just before he moved. "Hn."

Kurama Frisbeed it at the fire youkai again, this time hitting the chair.

Hiei trapped the book against the chair with one hand without opening his eyes. "You help her then."

"I don't know the details of what you heard."

"Nor do you want to."

"Then you're the only one who _can, _because you know what's going on in her head. From what I gather, she's been through much of the same thing you have."

Hiei opened one eye and glared at the fox again.

Said fox rolled his eyes and threw another book – a heavier one, which whooshed through Hiei's black hair and thudded onto the floor. "Well, it's true – even her file says so. Look at it – she's been abandoned, and hated by her own family, and you saw what she did to Koenma. I'd like to see you two spar; it would be an interesting outcome."

"Just because she shoved that brat around?" A dark grin flashed across Hiei's face.

"Because I happened to notice the restraint she put on her youki the second she started attacking him. Judging by the force of that restraint... I think it's possible she could hold her own if she fought you."

"Hn." And he was gone into the night.

Kurama shook his head. "Should've made him promise not to do anything stupid," he muttered to himself.

Raize opened her eyes when the back of her neck started prickling. She stood silently on the tree limb she'd been sleeping on and looked around warily; she could feel that same strange, tranquil yet hostile youki she'd sensed in Koenma's office. It was disconcerting as well as calming – she wanted to go back to sleep, but at the same time didn't want to get caught with her guard down. It was the same way Aidan used to make her feel.

Suddenly a shadow flitted to a branch in the tree adjacent to hers, and the moonlight illuminated cat-like crimson eyes.

Raize crossed her arms. "Look, I'm sorry about the monster headache you've probably got right now because of the incident in Koenma's office. I didn't mean for you to hear any of that – trust me, I would've controlled it if I could've."

The shadow disappeared, then there was a blade pressed to Raize's neck and she was leaning back into a graceful arc to avoid falling off of her perch.

The water youkai's eyes widened, then narrowed to slits as a crazy, reckless glint sparked through them. "You damned people. All you want to do is fight, isn't it? Well then, since I can't talk you out of it..."

Hiei had underestimated her speed by a fraction of a second – but it was long enough for Raize to bat his katana away from her neck and bury her foot in his stomach, tearing the breath from his lungs. He recovered fast, throwing the momentum of her kick toward her instead of backward and sending them both tumbling out of the tree.

Raize landed on her shoulder, leaning into a sideways roll so Hiei wouldn't crush her. She flipped lightly to her feet and they faced each other again. "Ya ain't so bad, I guess. But seriously, why are you attacking me?"

Hiei decided not to grace her with an answer and leaped forward again, slashing at her chest.

Raize moved an inch to the side with a disapproving scoff. She had halted the blade mid-air with one hand, although the metal had nearly sliced clean through her palm. "There, ya drew blood! Happy now? I said I was sorry."

Her attacker smirked and lunged. He'd anticipated her move.

She yelped as his head connected with hers, sending her reeling. She fell to her back and rolled, but she wasn't quite fast enough to dodge, and then she was pinned to the ground, gasping for air as Hiei crunched his knee into her stomach. Raize glared up at him, showing her teeth in a feral snarl. Then another crazy spark danced across her eyes and she shoved herself upward, sending Hiei off-balance. And before he knew it, her lips had collided with his.

Raize slammed Hiei back into the ground and sat on him, kicking his katana away. She was snickering, in a better mood now that she'd had a good fight.

"Cheat," Hiei growled, trying his best to hide the fact that he was actually a little flustered.

The other youkai threw her head back and let out a bark of laughter. "Aw, bitch _please!_ Don't try to pin this on _me. You _were the one that never set the rules. In my dictionary, that means I can use whatever method I like and still get away with it. Now that you know that, you want a rematch? I'm game."

A second later, she was sitting on the ground alone, blinking, eyes wide in confusion. "Fine then," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "Go on and be _no fun at all. _Urameshi was right, he really _is _Mr. Grumpy."


	3. Book Wars and Blackmail

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my brain and my computer. There's something wrong with you if you think otherwise. :)

Warnings: Book abuse. :P Poor books. Mild language... most likely some OOCness. Again, I have no excuse for that, so please forgive me since I'm not perfect. ^^U

A/N: This one has some abrupt changes in it. That's just the way it worked out. I'll try to keep updating since I think this chapter is a little bit short, but bear with me if I disappear off the face of the earth for a few days. School sucks. -.- Anywho, thanks for the reviews, and enjoy! :)

Book Wars and Blackmail

Kurama sighed as he finished wrapping Raize's bleeding hand. "So explain to me again how you knew to come here?"

She shrugged. "Instinct, I suppose. None of the others seemed like they would have any experience in the healing arts."

Hiei snorted. "Admit it, woman. You followed me," he growled. He was sitting in the open window, polishing his katana.

Raize grabbed the book that Kurama had previously thrown at Hiei and chunked it at him again. If it had connected, it probably would've hit him square in the face with a rather satisfying _'SMACK!' _As it was, Kurama caught it just after it left her hand, almost by reflex. The tiny youkai glared daggers at him for spoiling her evil plans.

The kitsune chuckled and tied off the bandages sealing away her wound after he tucked the book into a shelf. "Don't hurt my innocent book, Raize. It didn't do anything to you."

"I wasn't exactly thinking about the book, thank you," she replied, crossing her arms. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't seen Hiei pick up the other book Kurama had thrown at him earlier – the heavy one.

_Whoosh! _It flew through the air, Frisbee-style, and nailed Raize straight in the gut.

"Eep!" She squeaked, gasping for air. Her electric green eyes flew wide open as she fell over, tumbling backwards onto the floor.

Hiei snickered.

Kurama covered his mouth to keep from laughing, slightly more considerate than his friend.

Raize picked the book up, got to her feet, and chased Hiei around the house, beating him over the head with it. She only got him twice.

Halfway across the world, in a cave beneath a volcano, black eyes opened in the dark. _Come back here, you stupid bitch. I'll kill you for what you did to me. _Black flames radiated from a tall, muscled form. There was something feline, something predatory about the way he moved, the way he looked. Then, as his eyes closed again, he reached out for the slave that had slipped through his fingers. He was going to make her existence hell.

A howl of pain sent Kurama vaulting up from his desk and sprinting downstairs. "Hiei! I swear, if you've..." He stopped when he saw Raize curled up in a dark corner of the living room, hands over her ears, shivering.

"Don't blame me, fox. I didn't touch her." Hiei stood six feet away, balancing the book caught in their miniature war on his shoulder with one hand.

Kurama arched one eyebrow at the fire youkai, then cautiously approached Raize. He moved slowly, then completely stopped and crouched in front of her when she turned her bright, burning green eyes on him.

"The bastard found me," she snarled. "He found me, and he wants revenge."

Kurama blinked. Her eyes showed absolutely no fear. They were shooting electric sparks, flaming hot and wild and angry. But not afraid. "Can you stand? Are you alright?"

Raize hissed at him suddenly, showing her teeth. "If you don't wanna get burned then keep your ass back, fox boy. This ain't pretty." A sizzling sound came from her right side and she yelped, unzipping her jumpsuit and pushing it hastily off her shoulders. The white tank top she wore under it had begun to smoke and peel away from her skin. She bit her lip and covered her ears again, shaking but silent. Three minutes passed, all three of them frozen, waiting. Then it was over.

The whole right side of Raize's shirt had been burned away, revealing an intricate, swirling pattern branded on her flesh. It covered her shoulder and arm to the elbow, along with her collarbone, ribs, and hip. It was scorching hot, nearly liquified. "That's my mark, in case you're curious," she murmured through gritted teeth as she stretched stiffly and pulled her jumpsuit back around her. "I think... I think I'd better go."

Neither youkai watching her said a word as she stumbled out the door, shutting it softly behind her. They looked at each other, both undecided, unsure.

It was Hiei that spoke first. "What. The. Hell –"

"- Was that?" Kurama breathed. "It was like she –"

"- Froze us –"

"- To keep us away from her?"

"Or something."

"What if it wasn't her?"

Hiei scoffed. "Why should I care?"

"You were the one that heard her."

"Bring that up again and I will give the password on your laptop to your mob of fangirls, fox."

"I don't believe you." The kistune crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

Hiei glared right back at him. "Try me."


	4. Bring It On!

Disclaimer: I own Raize (my main char.), Aidan (the bad guy), my brain, and my computer. You see any TV shows or manga series or songs in there? I don't.

Warnings: craziness, mild language, possibly some OOCness. Still have no excuse for it and probably never will, so please just bear with me and critique if it's not too much trouble, k? ^^

A/N: This one was fun to write. Mostly because Hiei gets drenched with rain and I kept snickering at this mental picture I got of him with his hair all wet. Maybe in a later chapter I'll write more about that. :P Anywho! I did say this chapter had craziness in it. And I mean craziness as in 'Raize-is-a-psycho-when-her-past-catches-up-to-her' craziness. So if it kinda throws you off a little... it should get better later. R&R if I ask nicely? :3

Bring It On!

Raize wandered. She flitted through the woods far outside the city, drawing her youki around her like a protective cloak and using it to cool the sizzling mark on her side. She was quiet and her eyes were darkened, distant, so unlike her normal self. Usually she whistled or sang, and preferred dancing to walking or running. But at the moment, she was lost in her memories and not in her surroundings. Lost in the remnants of needle-sharp hatred and regret.

Until she tripped two minutes later and fell flat on her face. And burst out laughing until tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm a _dancer," _she gasped through a fit of hysterical giggles. "I'm a _dancer _and I just tripped and fell right on my face. How monumentally stupid..." She rolled to her back as a leaf floated benignly above her head, then inhaled and sighed at it, sending it up and away. "Well, then, Aidan. You finally found me, stupid bastard. So now what're you gonna do?" She snarled, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms. "I'm going to punish you, you insolent bitch!" She growled in response to herself, swiping at the air with fingers curled like claws. "Run, run, as fast as you can! Can't catch me, cause I'm a crazy-ass youkai!" Raize spun to her feet as she yelled at the sky, whirling in circles on feet heavy as lead. She felt so much like her old self that she almost expected her old master to walk out of the trees and grab her by the collar, hauling her back to his cave. "Old, old, old," she murmured. "I feel old, but I'm younger than Aidan so he'll die first. HA! Eat that, crap-for-brains! You can't control me! You can't hurt me! Only thing you can have from me is a damn healthy kick in your twisted bony ASS!" Almost seeming to punctuate her words, her knees slammed into the ground hard and she wrapped her arms around herself as pain engulfed her, crashing over her head like a tidal wave. Finally, out of sight and earshot of every human and youkai alike, she broke down and cried.

Hiei stared out the window of Kurama's room, watching dark clouds gather in the sky. From the slight crease in his forehead, Kurama knew he was annoyed, but didn't say anything as he handed the silent figure a cup of black coffee and leaned against the wall beside the window.

"This is her fault," the fire youkai mused, taking a drink.

"Excuse me?"

"The storm. It was clear earlier."

"You suppose it's intentional?"

"Hn."

Kurama glanced at Hiei's face – that had been a 'no'. "Then why is it her fault?"

"Aren't you full of questions." Hiei glared at the kitsune over his coffee through the reflection in the window.

"Always am."

"Hn. She's experienced enough to know she causes storms when she lets her emotions run wild, yet she's made no move to control it. Thus it's not intentional, but it's still her fault. Judging by the clouds, it'll rain for hours."

"Hiei," Kurama laughed, "are you sulking?"

"You think it's pleasant, walking in the rain?"

"Sometimes, yes."

"Even when it gets in your eyes and weighs down your clothes? Baka," he snorted.

"If you don't want it to rain, then why don't you go find her and do something about it?"

"Hn. I think I will." Then he opened the window and flitted away, leaving his coffee sitting on the sill.

Kurama blinked, then cursed, shaking his head. "And they call me intelligent, when I can't even remember to make him promise not to kill anyone."

Raize was easy to find. All Hiei had to do was follow the energy pouring from the clouds – it was like finding the eye of a tornado. Sure enough, there she was, out in the woods. She was curled on her left side behind a giant, sturdy tree, blissfully asleep.

Or maybe not. Every so often, she would twitch and shift, like she was dodging a fist or jumping over a foot. Sometimes her hands clawed at the ground or air, tearing at invisible chains.

Pain stabbed through Hiei's head and he took a step back, further away from the nightmare in her mind. He didn't want to wake her, but didn't want to hear her own personal brand of chaos again, either. It had hurt enough before. "Not this time, woman." His voice was soft and chiding, almost like he was talking to Yukina. He knew exactly what was happening to her – he'd been through it himself and had no desire to add any more weight to her shoulders. If he did, there was definitely a possibility that she'd break down – and perhaps go insane.

When Raize sensed his energy, she sat up, torn from her dreams with a gasp. Then she grimaced and rubbed her side ruefully. "Well then. That was stupid. So what, did you come back for a rematch or something?"

"It's about to rain." He crossed his arms, watching her as she pushed herself to her feet.

She blinked. "Duh?"

"You're causing it."

"And?" She looked at him for one puzzled moment, then threw back her head and laughed. "Oh, is _that _it? You don't like the rain?"

Hiei scoffed. "It's a nuisance."

Raize fell into a fit of snickers. "Hiei," she gasped through her laughter, "life's not about remembering an umbrella. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Right on cue, the clouds were split down the middle by a bolt of lightning and tears poured from the sky, drenching both youkai where they stood.

Raize lifted her head and grinned, enjoying every minute of it.

Hiei stood there and sulked, moving closer to a tree and closing his eyes. It didn't help. His ears pricked when Raize's youki flared, though, and he looked up just in time to see her start dancing.

She spun three times and jumped, butterfly kicking outward and landing light as a feather on her toes. Music seared through her veins in place of blood, taking control of her so completely that she stopped thinking altogether.

Hiei blinked. Why the hell was she _dancing _in the rain of all things? 'It's about dancing in the rain'... had she meant that literally? It didn't make any sense. What did she gain from it? Wasn't she exhausted and sore afterward? He shook his head. "Idiot."

Raize didn't seem to be able to hear him – she was tuned in to the music in her head instead. And when she glided past him, he heard it.

_Move your body, every everybody, move your body, come on now everybody..._

Her youki pulled him in, drawing him toward her, daring him to keep step with her, but he stayed put. He was already soaked with rain and wasn't looking to make it worse.

She whirled back to his side, eyes wide and glimmering with laughter. "Oh, come on, stubborn mule. You're already drenched; it _can't _get any worse." She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him out from beneath the shelter of his tree. "Keep up if you can!" Her steps began slow, coaxing his frozen feet to move with hers over the ground.

Hiei glared at her. That was a challenge, and he never turned one down. And she knew it. _Damn. _"So eager to be beat at your own game, woman?"

Raize chuckled huskily through a wide, wicked grin. "Try me, Mr. Grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy, I just don't like you."

"It burns! Oh, my heart! It burns!" She cried dramatically, picking up the pace. What had been a dance was quickly becoming a race. "Gonna have to do better than that to hurt me, lovely."

"Hn. Really, now?" He kept up with her easily, but he knew she was holding back. "_You're_ going to have to do better if you want to lull me into slowing down."

"Oh dear, it's discovered my evil plan," she snickered, and shot off like a bullet. They were flying over the undergrowth, unleashing pent-up speed that had lay coiled in their muscles, waiting for a worthy opponent.

Hiei watched with incredulous eyes as Raize sprinted even faster, just barely swinging ahead of him. No _way _was she faster than he was. Right?

Wrong, 'cause she didn't show any sign of slowing down one bit. "Think you can handle top speed, Hiei?" She called over the wind roaring in their ears.

He smirked and forced his legs to keep step with her. "Bring it on, woman."


	5. Safe Inside The Crashing Rain

Disclaimer: I own Raize, who has taken up primary residence in my brain, and my computer. Can't sue me for what I don't got. :)

Warnings: serious craziness in this one, mild language, and Raize's twisted past. Possible OOCness. I say this every time because I am paranoid and I kinda stress over 90% of the lines I write for characters that already exist. (The other 10% being Hiei's trademarked 'hn'.) i.e. Hiei and Kurama, whose web is a tricky one to spin. :P So keep tabs on me. If I go off on a tangent, I need to know how to fix it. ^^

A/N: PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE next chapter will be funnier! I know this one is kinda angsty, but I needed Raize to be able to relate to Hiei in some way because her personality and his are _so_ different. Just goes to show how some people can go through similar things and turn out on completely opposite ends of the scale. ^^ Anywho. Now you know the history behind this dude Aidan and Raize. And as for the note about OOCness above – I do believe Hiei is capable of some form of a smile, and I also believe Kurama is capable of being funny in his own way. So give me some leniency there. ARGH! This is getting too long. R&R if I ask nicely? :3 Me wuvs feedback – I always reply to reviews!

5. Safe Inside the Crashing Rain

Raize and Hiei raced through the woods in the rain, hellbent. To a human, the two youkai would've simply seemed like a blur, a hushed flutter of leaves or a whisper of wind past a tree branch.

Raize was snickering, happier than she'd ever been because of the challenging sprint and the freedom coursing through her veins. Then, all at once, she froze and stopped breathing, like someone had encased her in ice. Leaves fluttered around her black combat boots, unnoticed.

Hiei skidded to a stop beside her, scowling, a silent question in the air between them. _Why did you stop? _

She didn't move a muscle, but her eyes had roared into electric emerald flames. _He's here, _was her unspoken answer. "Go, Hiei. Go find the others," she murmured tensely. "Please."

He snorted disapprovingly. "If you think this fight is yours alone, then you're mistaken. That brat charged us with babysitting you, and if we fail, there'll be hell to pay."

"Babysitting," she spat, teeth bared. "I don't want babysitters. I don't want a leash. I want Aidan's head on a _plate."_

Right on cue, the tall, feline figure strode out of the shadows, onyx-black eyes glittering maliciously. His hair was orange and spiked, but it was shorter than Hiei's and wreathed his face in flames. Said face was all angles, accentuated by the razor-sharp teeth of a predator. "Found you, bitch," he hissed, disturbing the leaves coating the forest floor once again.

A nightmarish snarl ripped through Raize's chest and the rain pelted down until it was knife-sharp, lancing through the trees and pounding harshly into the ground.

Aidan murmured a hollow chuckle and stretched out his hand. He didn't even have to touch her.

Raize let out a tortured, ragged breath, but she didn't take her eyes off of him, standing tall and strong underneath the weight of her burning mark.

"You refused me once, lovely," he whispered, circling toward her. "But you won't refuse me again. And this time, no one is here to help you."

The water youkai let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Damn fool! Did you pick up short-term amnesia from that dent I put in your head? I nearly killed you, until they pried me off your barely-breathing body.I did it once and I will sure as hell do it again!"

He laughed back, lower but sharper. "You know what could've happened, had you come any closer to killing me. You would've unleashed the power bound in your mark and it would've burned you to ashes. That's why you're not moving. That's why you can't fight back. It came so close last time that it's fragile now... unstable. I can control you with a glance."

Raize lifted her head, scoffing. "I would rather die than be with you, Aidan. Don't underestimate me."

Suddenly he was in front of her, tilting her chin up so she had to look him in the eyes. "Then what are you waiting for, woman? Are you afraid?"

"Like hell," she hissed, then yanked her chin back and spat right in his face.

Aidan howled and backhanded her across the face, sending her arcing through the air and slamming into the ground on her shoulder.

She skidded to rest against a tree, curled on her side without even trying to counter attack. Strangely, her eyes were open, like she'd watched the whole thing on the screen in a movie theater. She got to her feet lightly, although Hiei saw the slight tremor than ran down her legs. Her mark was still scorching-hot, stabbing through her skin – on top of which, she was struggling to keep from beating Aidan into a bloody pulp. All that negative energy, plus exhaustion from their race through the woods, was taking a heavy toll on her body. She was about to collapse.

The orange-haired fire youkai stalked toward her, murder in his black eyes. "You know what happens when you defy me, woman. You know what happened to the others."

"I have a name, you stupid bastard," she growled, dodging his fist by sheer millimeters. His knuckles crashed into the tree just behind her, embedding themselves right next to her left ear. "And they had names, too. You can't ever take that from them, no matter what you do. You can spit on their graves, shatter their gravestones, and kill anyone who tries to honor them – but you cannot make them faceless. Not as long as they have those who were left behind." The tremors had run up her back and into her fists now, racing along her muscles like lightning as tears built behind her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

_Others? _Hiei thought. He was crouched in the shadows of a tree branch at present, katana drawn but indecisive. He knew he had to get Raize out of there or risk another round of punishment from Spirit World's brat prince. And he knew he couldn't kill Aidan without killing Raize, though he sorely wanted to. The other fire youkai's energy was getting on his nerves. On top of that, it was making the Kokoryuha restless. The dragon hissed and shifted, clawing at his skin. It wanted freedom. _I know, _Hiei soothed the spirit beast, whirling his sword around his wrist smoothly. _Just one more step. _If Raize moved two feet to the left, he would be able to land right behind her, sling her over his shoulder, cut the tree down to hinder Aidan, and run. Kurama's house was probably the best bet – the fox knew some things about fixing injuries, like Raize had guessed earlier. From there, the detective would have to be notified, and – Hiei grimaced – the fool that was in love with his sister. Why they couldn't just leave the idiot out, he didn't know.

Aidan punched the tree again and it creaked – and then Raize moved exactly two feet to her left.

Hiei leaped down and swung her into his arms, leaving two quick, deft slices across the giant trunk of the tree. It fell with a thunderous crash behind him, but he didn't stop to look back as he sprinted back toward the city. He wasn't risking being followed, if at all possible.

He dropped her unceremoniously on the floor in Kurama's room, shutting the window with a snap.

Raize pulled herself to all fours, then to her feet, eyes blazing angrily. "Why?" She asked simply, snarling through teeth ground together.

"'Why' what? You would've died, stupid woman." Hiei gave her a 'what-the-hell?' look.

"_AND?" _She picked him up by his collar and slammed him into the wall, shaking all over. There were still tears dripping off her face. "So _what? _So _WHAT _if I die? Nobody but me gives a damn enough to stop him, so _WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" _She hissed. "There are those that know my name, and if gets rid of him,it's _worth it."_

Just then, Kurama walked in, humming softly to himself. He stopped dead and his head snapped up when he opened the door, emerald eyes wide. "Alright then," he acknowledged politely, and shut the door again.

Raize glared back at Hiei, youki flaring off her exhausted body. Then, slowly, her grip began to loosen and her eyelids fluttered – and she crumpled to the floor, thrown into the darkness of unconsciousness.

Kurama tapped on the closed door after it was quiet for a moment. "Hiei? Raize? May I come in?"

Hiei stepped over Raize and opened the door for the kitsune. "She passed out," he explained simply.

Kurama's right eyebrow arched. "I see. Why was she –"

"Met up with Aidan." Hiei stalked over to the window, about to leave.

"Tell me what happened, Hiei," Kurama growled, crossing his arms. His low voice stopped Hiei right in his tracks. "And don't leave anything out. You know I work better when I know what's going on."

The fire youkai sighed and stared out at the rain from in front of the window. "Look at her mark, fox."

He knelt at Raize's side, gently pulling her arm away from her body. "It's just like earlier – feverish again."

"It'll kill her if she so much as injures Aidan. Apparently he sealed it with the fires of hell."

Kurama frowned. "But that's impossible. Raize is a water youkai; such a powerful flame would've burned her alive in under a minute."

"So either there's something she's not telling us, or he found a way to leash the seal," Hiei mused.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to ask her when she wakes up, then," Kurama replied, tying his hair back so it wouldn't get in the way. "Or," he added with a grin, "you could read her mind again."

Hiei snarled. "The fangirls are waiting, fox."

Raize woke up alone, curled in a nest of pillows on Kurama's bed. Her side was still a bit sore, but other than that, she wouldn't have even known she'd been in a fight. When she remembered what had happened earlier, she winced. _Damn. Aidan can track me now... he'll come after these guys if he finds me here. I gotta leave... can't risk coming back, _she thought, vaulting lightly to the floor. After hunting down paper and pen, she scribbled a hasty note, then disappeared through the window.

_Fox boy, thanks for taking care of me. Sorry you had to walk in on one of my psycho moments. Tell Mr. Grumpy the race was fun. Love, Raize._

Kurama handed the note to Hiei. "Is it just me, or does this sound like she has no intention of coming back?"

"Hn."

That was a 'yes'. "Well then, I guess it's a good thing I found this lying around, hm?" He held up an ice-blue, tear-shaped pendant hanging from a black leather cord and swung it side to side.

Hiei smirked. "Just 'found it', huh? Once a thief, always a thief."

It was a month before anyone saw any sign of Raize again. Koenma was right, for once – if she didn't want to be found, she simply wasn't.

Until Kurama discovered another note in his room. Ever since he'd walked in, something hadn't felt quite right, and as he read, he realized what it was. She'd gone through the whole house – rather thoroughly, from the way things looked.

_You've got my pendant, fox boy, and I want it back. Love, Raize. _That was it – no threats, no promises. It did, however, prove that she could get in the house, search every single room, and leave without being noticed.

Kurama sat down at his desk with a frown. Did she really think she was avoiding them for their own good? Because it wasn't working. No one had heard a word from Aidan, and it had rained nearly every day during the month she'd been gone. He'd caught Hiei sulking by the window on more than one occasion, too. So he picked up a pen, found a piece of paper, and wrote back to the water youkai.

_Raize, if you want the pendant back, you'll have to pry it from my fingers. I'm not giving it up until you return. By the way, Hiei's taken to sitting by the window and sulking whenever it rains, so for the sake of my sanity, PLEASE either calm down or come back. He also says to tell you he hopes you're not stupid enough to believe you're protecting us from Aidan by staying away. I think he misses fighting with you – and I think you miss him, too. We haven't told Koenma yet, but Yusuke can't put it off much longer. Think about it. – Kurama._

He left the letter on his desk, along with two chocolate chip cookies and a rose, then got up, glancing at his watch. Someone would be meeting him in the park, and he didn't want to keep her waiting.

That night, Raize found Kurama's window unlocked, even though no one was home. She searched relentlessly through the house once more, and again came up empty-handed. Frustrated and tired, she sat down at his desk and ate the cookies he'd left, examining his letter.

_Thanks for the cookies, _she scribbled. _And go ahead, tell Diaper Butt. I'd love to hear all about his reaction. If Hiei wants a rematch, he knows how to find me. Watch your back – I'm reclaiming my damn pendant one way or another. Love, Raize._

Finally, she capped her pen and turned to leave – and came face to face with Hiei.

"Going somewhere?" He asked. He stood in front of the window, blocking her escape route, arms crossed.

She snarled softly, barely showing her teeth as she shifted into a defensive crouch. "What, you gonna try and stop me?"

"I won't stop you, but I will follow you if you leave."

"Why?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? If the brat finds out that you ran off, we get punished."

She laughed, low and bitter. "Why do I still think you have an ulterior motive?"

"How should I know?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you can read my mind?" Raize crossed her own arms then, so they stood mirroring each other, black against white – salt and pepper.

"So I can. What makes you think I want to?"

"Hiei, I'm sorry, okay? I know you hate me for that. I'm still fixing glitches with it. I'm still learning to control it." She covered her face with her hands, threading her fingers through her hair.

There was another silent question in the air between them. _Where did it come from?_

Raize heaved a sigh. "Do you really want that question answered?"

"Would I have thought it if I didn't?"

"Sit down then." She sat in the chair by the desk, he sat on the windowsill. She pulled her knees to her chest and set her chin on them, wrapping her arms around her legs. "All you have to do is listen."

Hiei crossed his arms and leaned against the window frame, closing his eyes. "Go ahead."

It started as whispers, low, harsh voices behind closed doors, then escalated gently into intelligible words.

_Naomi. Ramah. Jacqueline. Rachel. Cheyanne. Thani. Eden. Josephine._

_I was the ninth._

"Honey, Raize is... she's different. I don't think being here is good for her."

_The first time I was abandoned._

_Naomi. Ramah. Jacqueline. Rachel. Cheyanne. Thani. Eden. Josephine._

"You _what? _Why are... all these things are ruined..." _That was the second time they deserted me. _"She's too... different. Won't fit in – it'd be cruel to even try." _The third. _"I just don't think we have the patience to keep her." _And the fourth. _"You're useless, stupid child!" _Fifth. _"Too problematic." "Gets in the way." "Always off on her own – it's abnormal!" _Sixth, seventh, and eighth._

_I was the ninth._

_Naomi. Ramah. Jacqueline. Rachel. Cheyanne. Thani. Eden. Josephine._

"They don't understand you, hm?" _He had black eyes. I should've turned and run. _"Hush now, it's alright. Come with me – I can help you." _I'd never known love before. So I fell into his trap. There were eight, before me._

_I was the ninth._

_Naomi. Ramah. Jacqueline. Rachel. Cheyanne. Thani. Eden. Josephine._

"Raize, come here. Be a good girl, don't be shy." _I blocked that memory, stayed again when I should've run. It was too frightening... his hand on my back... his black eyes. I was the ninth to be left with bruises. The ninth victim of Aidan's wrath. His last possession... before he started killing._

_I was the ninth._

_They're in order according to when they died, first to last._

_Naomi. Ramah. Jacqueline. Rachel. Cheyanne. Thani. Eden. Josephine._

"Stop it, Aidan! Leave her alone!" _Jo stood up for me. She was my closest friend – that pendant was hers. I took it off of her slit, bloody throat before he threw her body into the volcano. Then it was my turn._

_I was the ninth._

"I promise I won't hurt you, Razor Blade." _His name for me... it died with the girl I once was. _"Those others just weren't good girls. But you are, lovely. You were the ninth." _His hands around my wrists. His damned black eyes burning into mine – I never was sensible enough to look away. I remember the hot iron, searing into my skin. Sealing me under the fires of hell._

_It was the last time we spoke until that day in the woods._

_I was the ninth. And then he tried to own me._

_NAOMI RAMAH JACQUELINE RACHEL CHEYANNE THANI EDEN JOSEPHINE!_

_CLAWS TEETH RIP TEAR BLOOD PIECES HATRED GASPING._

_I still say their names as a litany at night. I will never forget them. I was the ninth._

_NAOMI RAMAH JACQUELINE RACHEL CHEYANNE THANI EDEN JOSEPHINE!_

_YOU WILL NEVER OWN ME, NOT AS LONG AS I REMAIN BREATHING!_

_I WAS THE NINTH! I WAS THE LAST!_

_Darkness._

_Breathe._

_Slow._

_Live._

_And... awake._

… _What am I here for? I have done nothing wrong._

_RAGE._

_YOU CANNOT OWN ME! I REFUSED HIM FOR A REASON – YOU WILL NOT CONTROL ME!_

_The guards never stood a chance. They fell so easily. I'd gotten good at fighting... especially since I was used to fighting for my life._

_Who are they? Three of the four triggered my killer instinct – they were powerful. Then I recognized one, and his mystery was solved. Kurama told me his name, and then there was the other._

"And Mr. Grumpy over there in the corner is..."

… _Hiei._

He opened his eyes.

Raize stood in front of the window, staring out of the night. "I have to go."

Hiei nodded and moved aside, opening the latch for her – his promise to follow her if she left was completely forgotten.

She leaped up onto the windowsill, and for one moment, time stopped and eternity fell into place. They were standing shoulder to shoulder, close enough to hear each other's hushed breath, facing opposite sides of the world. Frozen in the same crystalline, imperfect paradise. "Don't tell Kurama," Raize whispered. Then she grinned fiercely, and the sharpness of her face shattered the illusion of stillness. "And quit sulking when it rains – come find me. Race me again. It was fun last time."

"Hn," Hiei murmured, neither a promise nor a refusal.

Then she was gone.


	6. Conspiracies

Disclaimer: Nothing is what I own. Nothing except Raize, who STILL refuses to move her butt out of my brain, and ye trusty olde computer. If you are actually dumb enough to think otherwise... under what rock have you been living for the last five chapters? Just curious.

Warnings: OOC moment! BIG OOC MOMENT! IT IS MEANT AS A JOKE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN AS SUCH. It even says it's out of character for them! Woohooo! Anywho, like I said, it just adds humor to the story. And I think once in a while they need a break from being themselves. Just as long as it doesn't become a chronic condition. :P Ummm, mild language, I suppose... nope, there's another blanked-out f**k. XP Warn me if I go off into never-never-Mary-Sue-OOC land!

A/N: Funny chapter? I hope so. X3 THIS TOOK FOR-EVER, partially on account of school. Sorry for the wait. I am going to KILL my router, too. My 'net connection died so I couldn't post as soon as this was finished. Thanks so much for the reviews! :3 Much appreciated!

…... -(chocolateluvr13: This is my new and awesome page break. XD)

6. Conspiracies

"What the hell, fox?" Hiei asked, reading over Kurama's letter – the long one he'd left for Raize, along with the cookies. "Over friendly much?"

The kitsune sighed. "I am well aware of the situation, Hiei. It was supposed to appeal to her emotional side, which is generally unstable and easily swayed in a woman. The cookies were icing on the cake, but the cake never got eaten, did it?"

"You said I sat by the window and sulked whenever it rained."

A smile tugged at Kurama's mouth. "That's partially true."

"It is not. I do not sulk."

The redhead arched one eyebrow.

"I. Do. Not. Sulk."

Kurama shook his head. "Whatever you say."

"Fangirls," the fire youkai growled, threatening.

"Have you ever thought, even for a second, that they might forget me if they ever laid eyes on you? Fangirls are a volatile breed, Hiei." He crossed his arms, annoyed.

"Then they won't ever see me."

The fox threw up his hands. "Why do I bother? It's like arguing with a brick wall!"

Hiei ticked off the reasons on one hand. "Stupidity, shiny things, and the sake of all humanity."

Kurama blinked. "That was a rhetorical question."

"Just making sure you knew." He hid a darkly amused grin behind a yawn.

"Anyway, back to the topic of our renegade – it's not like you did any better. I told you not to let her leave until I came back, and you let her walk right out the window."

"Fox, if you had heard what was inside her head – _twice – _you would've done anything to get her as far away as possible, too. And either she's beating us at our own game, or she's just being a damned woman."

Kurama sighed and sat down on his bed, setting his chin in his hand. "There has to be some way..."

"You went to see Botan yesterday. Why can't you talk to her instead? This is not my problem."

The kitsune threw his ever-present book at Hiei's head. It was quickly becoming a habit – throwing things seemed to get the point across lately. "Because she would react to this conversation by getting indignant, and I don't exactly enjoy being hit repeatedly over the head with her oar, thank you."

Hiei caught the book and Frisbeed it back. If he ever picked up a real Frisbee, he'd be good at any game involving one. "What does she have to be indignant about? She's in on this too."

Kurama batted the book away from his face. "Two words, Hiei – 'damned woman'."

The fire youkai rolled his cat-like eyes. "One more for the record – 'damned _sensitive _woman'."

Kurama grinned. "You would have so many broken bones..."

"... Or she would be running for her life..."

"... And we're getting off-topic again."

"Wasn't the detective supposed to be here half an hour ago?"

"I think Keiko needed him for something."

"Damned sensitive _distracting _woman. That encompasses all three."

Kurama fell into a fit of snickers.

"What's so funny about that?"

"Just relating those three... seems so strange..." The fox shook his head. "Think about it. Keiko, Botan, and Raize?"

"I think the midget and the detective's woman would get along well. They both have anger issues."

Kurama snorted. "Who am I talking to, again? That must've been a compound of at least two hypocritical phrases."

"Fangirls."

"Kuwabara."

"Plant killer!"

"Rain!"

"Stupidity!"

"Humans!"

Five minutes later, that was what Yusuke walked in on – Kurama and Hiei yelling seemingly random things at each other, and throwing a book back and forth.

"Knock knock?" He asked, starting to think there was seriously something wrong with the two youkai. He'd never seen them actually yell at each other, and although the atmosphere wasn't exactly angry, it was still vastly out of place and character for the both of them.

They stopped shouting immediately – Kurama clapped his hand over his mouth, trying to hide a chuckle, while Hiei just glared at the detective like he'd grown a second head.

"Well, now we know where the crazy lady's been hiding. She found an apartment about five minutes from here." He gave Hiei a 'what-the-hell-man?' look.

Kurama cleared his throat. "I suppose that warrants a visit, then, doesn't it?"

"Yup. If nothin' else, just to find out where she thinks Aidan's hiding out so we can close this case."

…...

Raize's ears twitched, then she sneezed. "Someone's talking about me..." She grumbled, and went to answer the ringing doorbell. "Game over, huh?" She asked wryly, setting her hands on her hips. She was staring the Spirit Detectives right in the face – all four of them.

"May we come in?" Kurama asked.

She sighed. "Sure. Whatever."

"Why were you hiding, anyway, crazy lady? You worried about us? That's sweet," Yusuke snickered.

Raize growled softly. "I know Aidan. I know what he's capable of. You think I'm just gonna sit around and wait for him to find me? Don't take this the wrong way – I know you guys are damn good at what you do. But I can't stand just trusting someone to protect me. It drives me insane. Oh, and... it was mentioned that this is a 'babysitting' job for you all. If that's the case, then leave. Just go and don't come back. I don't need that hanging over my head." She turned her back on them and walked over to an open can of silvery blue paint, which was sitting by one wall. The tiny youkai dipped her bare feet in it and balanced on her toes, then took three steps and butterfly-kicked across the dark wood floor.

"If you don't trust us, then we're even," Hiei grumbled from the corner. He wouldn't have come if he'd had a choice.

"Oh, if only I had a book," Raize snarled at him, pirouetting and holding perfectly still. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what was next. She was recreating her dance in the rain from a month ago, the one that had turned into a race with the fire youkai. Her goal was to finish it as a dance, like it was originally intended to be.

"Okay, kids, calm down." Yusuke crossed his arms. "Raize, you have any idea where Aidan is now?"

She moved the paint can to where she'd left off and dipped her feet in again. "Even if I did, which I don't, I wouldn't send you after him."

"Huh?" Typical razor-sharp Kuwabara.

Hiei and Raize simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"I don't get it. Don't you want this guy put away?" Yusuke asked. "'Cause we could do that, no problem."

"Do you want the whole list, or just the most selfish one?" She grinned at the detective, then brought her feet together and scissor-kicked into the air.

"How long is the list?"

"About twenty miles or so."

"Let's just hear that one then."

The water youkai stopped mid-spin and thunder crashed outside as she snarled, lips peeling back over her teeth. "Because Aidan is _mine. _I was his last possession, and I will be the one to kill him like he killed eight youkai before me. Those he slaughtered weren't helpless either, Yusuke. He chose all eight for their fighting abilities."

Hiei heard the list of names again – _Naomi Ramah Jacqueline Rachel Cheyanne Thani Eden Josephine. I was the ninth._

Yusuke sighed. "Well, I did say I'd let you decide his fate, but that was before we found out that you'd die if you even injured him. So that option's out."

"If _anyone _injures him," she corrected. "And I know for a fact that I can kill him. I came close once before. So you'd be blissfully rid of us both if you turned me loose."

"Raize, there is always more than one way to do things," Kurama reminded her, not approving of the way she'd worded her statement.

"But only this one can kill two birds with one stone – so to speak," she shot back, smiling sardonically.

"What makes you think we want to be rid of you?" The kitsune wasn't about to be beaten at his own game.

Raize threw her hands up, losing her cool just as the clouds split and rain poured down outside. "Oh, I don't know! Maybe because of the fact that _everyone _is just here 'cause they have to be! Haven't you figured out that I _hate _being a burden? I don't want that for anyone! Okay? Now it's out in the open! Why are you still reminding me of it? And hell, who cares if I die? It's the perfect solution to your problem! When I ran off, you came looking for me because the brat in the sky told you to! You wrote those letters because it would be less work if I came back on my own! The cookies were a nice touch, but love, if you hadn't taken my damn pendant, none of you would ever have seen me _again. _That's just what Pacifier Breath does, isn't it – he f**ks up everything and expects everyone to be perfectly okay with it."

Hiei looked at Kurama. _Hn._ _She's close to being right._

_I know, and she knows it too. That's what makes her sound so bitter._

"Just leave, okay? Tell Ko-enema everything's fine. He'll never get a clue and come check up on me, anyway. So you guys can all go on your merry way, and not worry about this. It'll all be over soon."

There was nothing left to say. The team left in silence, leaving Raize alone.

She dipped her right foot in paint again and slammed a kick into the inside of the closed door, leaving a perfect footprint. _Perfect ending to a perfect dance, _she growled to herself, and went to wash her feet off.

...

That night, she couldn't sleep, so she jammed her iPod in her ears and jumped out the window, stalking through the woods outside the city like a wild animal. Then a wicked grin slid across her face. _If he's out here, he's gonna get a bloody nasty surprise. _

"_I'm gonna make it bend and bre-eak,_

_Say a prayer, but let the good times roll - _

_In case God doesn't show_

_(Let the good times roll, let the good times roll)_

_And I want these words to make things right,_

_But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life - _

_'Who does he think he is?'_

_If that's the worst ya got, better putcha fingers back to the keys!_

_One night and one more ti-ime,_

_Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great!_

_He tastes like you, even sweeter, oh-oh-oh!"_

She slipped into something like a dream as she sang, weaving parts of phrases and melodies from other songs into her original track. By the time she completed the pattern, it sounded entirely different.

"Cool," she laughed breathlessly, starting another song. This one was slower, and easier to mix with other melodies.

"_I talk, I talk too much..._

_I never open up –_

_To what you need to say..._

_My words get in the way._

_I search for stillness..._

_But worry kills it._

_I need to clear my head..._

_I'm tired, I need to rest._

_It all comes down to this..._

_The quiet in the end..._

_I listen for your voice..._

_Recovery begins..." _A twinge of pain tapped the back of her head and went unnoticed, even when it became something sharper, something to be feared.

_Shut up before I kill you._

Raize collapsed.

…...

Six hours later, she woke up in her own bed with a yelp. "Ow, what the...?" She grumbled. "Wasn't I..."

_Shut up before I kill you._

"OH HELL!" She yelled, pressing her hands to her suddenly aching head. A stabbing echo of the voice that had knocked her out the night before lanced through her skull like a blade made of fire. Slowly, she sat up, blinking dizzily – and just about fell back over at the same time her jaw dropped. Hanging on the doorknob on the inside of her room was her pendant, swinging gently back and forth in the breeze coming from her open window.

Shaking away the gnawing pain in her head, she catapulted across the room and lifted the trinket into the air reverently, then slipped it over her neck. _He gave it back. _She stood frozen for five long minutes, debating. _Should I?_

Then she sat down and started to write. _Hey – thanks for giving my necklace back. And I'm sorry about yesterday. I overreacted, and I have no excuse for it. Can we talk, or should I stick with my original plan? Apologies. – Raize. _

She folded the note and stuck it in her pocket, then jumped back out the window and started walking. The whole process was almost like _Déjà vu_ – she'd just left the paper on Kurama's desk when the shadows by the door shifted and the images of two blood red dying stars blazed in the dark, illuminating Hiei's face. This time, though, no one had told him to be there. It was pure chance.

"Coward." His voice was low, almost a whisper.

Raize put her hands on her hips. "Well obviously I can't talk to him 'cause he's not here, and I don't wanna chicken out later. Why are you here if he isn't, anyway?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

She let out a short bark of humorless laughter. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot – you still hate me."

"Don't put words in my mouth, woman."

"Are you saying that just because you're annoyed or because you actually mean it?" She asked flatly.

The shadow of a smirk crossed his face. "What do you think?" His tone was mocking.

Raize pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, falling silent for a moment. She stared at the fire youkai thoughtfully, searching his face. Then she spun toward the window abruptly. "Race me," she whispered. "Please?"

Hiei arched one eyebrow. "Why?"

She finally cracked a smile, turning her head back to him. "'Cause running is fun. And... it's easier for me to read people when they're moving." Her eyes suddenly flicked away from his shyly. "Um... that was really honest. Sorry."

"Hn. You see honesty as a bad thing? Idiot." He shoved himself away from the wall by the door and strode to the window soundlessly, pushing it open and flitting to a nearby tree branch outside. "Try to keep up."

Raize grinned and her view of the black-clad figure shifted slightly. "Thank you." Then she leaped out into the tree next to him, and off they ran.

Instead of trying to beat Hiei, Raize hung back, either behind or beside him, watching him with cautious eyes. He actually looked at home in the woods, away from the city.

He kept tabs on where she was, then glanced ahead, eyes narrowing to glowing red slits. She wanted a race, and a race was what she was going to get. He wasn't about to make this easy for her. And like she'd said when they'd fought for the first time, she'd never set the rules – so it was a free-for-all.

When they reached the place where the trees grew thickest, Hiei ducked and wove between the close-growing branches, making it harder for Raize to keep up. Realizing the presented challenge, she laughed and sped up, shattering the pensive silence between them. "So that was your plan, huh?" She called, running alongside him.

Hiei didn't answer as he zeroed in on a branch that crossed her path and landed on it, sliding to a halt.

Raize yelped when her feet touched the surface, surprised by the lack of space to stand. She struggled to keep her balance, windmilling her arms wildly, then let out a sigh of relief when she was almost centered, figuring she was safe from falling.

A wicked grin flashed across Hiei's face. "Don't assume you're safe just yet." Then he tapped her forehead with one curled knuckle, just hard enough to send her slipping off her perch.

"Oop, gravity works," she squeaked, suspended in mid-air, then – _THUD – _landed flat on her back on the ground, several feet below. A groan drifted up through the trees and met Hiei's ears.

He shook his head. "Idiot. Didn't anyone teach you to land upright?"

"Well excuse _me _for snagging my shirt on a branch that flipped me onto my back!" She called, wheezing. "Damn!"

With a few calculated leaps, Hiei hit the ground beside her, arms folded. "You need to be quicker on your feet. Raw speed isn't your problem, it's how you channel it. You're using too much energy on going straight forward – focus more on what's around you."

Raize scrunched one eyebrow down. "Why the sudden lesson?" She asked, holding up her hand.

Hiei stared pointedly at said hand, refusing to help her up. "You came back to apologize and talk to Kurama, who by the way, was in on our little scheme just like everyone else. He may be the most polite, but he's also the most suspicious and calculating. Don't think he'll be open and friendly automatically."

The water youkai crossed her arms and glared at him. "You're avoiding the question."

He sighed. "If you would shut up, I'd get to the point."

Raize rolled her eyes and made a grudging 'zip-the-lips' motion.

"You can't possibly hope to beat Aidan in the state you are now. Perhaps if you get thrown around enough, you'll get better."

"Oh, well _that's _nice to know," she grumbled. "So you and Kurama are gonna beat me up until I'm a better fighter?"

"I was actually hoping you'd fight back once in a while, but yes, that's about what it amounts to," he said over his shoulder as he turned to walk away.

"Now you're sounding like the fox boy."

"That couldn't possibly be because I actually tolerate his company, now could it?"

Just for spite, Raize growled and sent a blast of her volatile youki slamming into his back, leaping to her feet and following it with all her weight put behind her left shoulder. She skidded straight into him, almost knocking him over.

Hiei turned so fast that leaves whirled around him. He punched her hard in the stomach, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I told you. You can't beat Aidan; you almost killed him only because you were running on adrenaline. What makes you think you could even scratch me?"

She slid backwards, gasping. "I beat you last time."

"The same tricks don't work twice."

"Do they? Let's test that theory." There was that reckless, crazy spark in her eyes again, and she lunged forward, pressing her lips to his.

She wouldn't have expected his reaction in a million years.

Hiei grabbed her by her collar and spun, pinning her against a tree roughly. _Big mistake. _His mind engulfed hers in pain, unleashing the full fury of dark flames.

Raize could hear the Kokoryuha roar, feel Hiei's callused fingers wrap tight around her neck. Then every thought, every feeling was blasted clear out of her head and body, so she very nearly didn't register the fact that he was actually kissing her back, effectively keeping her from breathing.

Then the sun burned down on her closed eyes, and everything was still. Hiei had disappeared, leaving her alone. She collapsed onto the ground, coughing and trying to drag air back into her aching lungs. _Okay then. That backfired. _The lack of heat from Hiei's presence made her shiver and curl into a ball, and she lay there for about an hour, thinking. _Dammit. He's right. I can't beat Aidan like this and I can't even touch him. Trying to get inside his head is like punching a hole through a steel wall – impossible. So what do I do? Am I actually gonna let him train me? But even that won't help, will it?_

She hadn't realized she'd asked her last question out loud until another voice answered her.

"What won't help?"

His red hair was impossible to miss, even when the light _didn't _hit it and shatter it into a million different shades of fire.

Raize rolled over to look at Kurama, crossing her arms. "May I ask exactly why you're out here?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Hiei came back with leaves in his hair – and bite marks on his lip."

She stifled a snicker with her hand. "Oh, crap. I bit him?"

"Looks that way. I didn't think he would let that go without retaliation, so I followed his path through the woods to make sure he hadn't killed you. Do I want to know what you two were doing out here?"

"Well, definitely _not _what you're probably thinking right now. He told me I couldn't beat him again in a fight, I got angry, I tried the same trick twice... yeah, that didn't work too well."

Kurama chuckled and shook his head. "He baited you and you took it, hook line and sinker."

"Oh, don't rub it in. Did you get the note?"

"What note?"

Raize's eyes narrowed. "Was there anything on your desk when you walked in your room?"

"No..."

She sulked, grumbling under her breath. "I swear, he does it on purpose."

"Should I ask?"

"If I were you? No."

"Why the dark look?"

_After what Hiei said, do I want to ask this guy for help? _She mentally heaved a sigh. _Aw, what the hell. Honesty is the best policy, isn't it? _"You're Youko Kurama."

"Yes..."

"You're – you used to be – a thief."

"Yes..." His eyes had started to freeze over, cautious of where the conversation was going but still calm.

"That takes guts. And a certain... calculating, suspicious personality," she continued hesitantly.

He arched one eyebrow as something flickered through his icy, glimmering green eyes too fast for Raize to follow. "Calculating, suspicious, and cold, you mean?" Then a completely unexpected laugh bubbled up from his chest. "Raize, are you asking me why I'm not acting like the thief I used to be?"

She blushed. "Um, well... yeah, I guess I am..."

Kurama shook his head, and as he did, his hair fell over his amused face. "Well, at least you're honest about it."

"If you don't wanna talk about it, that's okay, I was just c..." She trailed off.

The kitsune slowly met her eyes, like it almost hurt him to move, and a feral grin pricked his mouth, sharper than Hiei's blade. His eyes had burned pure gold, molten and fiery, akin to the early morning sun. When he spoke, his voice was deeper and silkier – which contrasted smoothly with his smile, like a dagger hidden in a satin scarf. "If Hiei can wound you... I can most assuredly kick your ass through all three worlds. I will not worry about you being a potential enemy because you do not pose a threat to me." Then he bent, swift and graceful, and pulled her to her feet. His eyes smoldered back into their familiar green hue and his frightening, predatory grin softened into a pleasant smile. "Well, now. That wasn't exactly how I was planning to go about it."

"Got the point across," Raize squeaked. "Remind me not to pick a fight with you, mm-kay?"

Kurama laughed. "Like I said... you pose no threat to me. Unlike Hiei, if there is a nonviolent solution to a problem, I will find it. Oh, and... apology accepted."

She watched him walk away, blinking, completely confused. "I think my brain just exploded," she muttered, shaking her head, and wandered back home.


	7. Alienation

Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing except my brain and Raize. 'Nothing' includes Sarah McLachlan's 'Fallen', the song near the end. And my computer crashed so now I don't even own that.

Warnings: meh, language, all that good stuff. Allusions to some not-too-friendly things. 'Don't-try-this-at-home' stunts. :)

A/N: CHAPTER SEVEN! WOOOHOOO! Don't murder me for the delay. I really did have a good reason! My computer crashed! No, I didn't lose all my stuff (cause I'm smart and I saved it all on an external hard drive hereby called 'Bob'. ^^), but it took some time to find another usable computer. So this chapter is extra long to make up for the wait.

Enjoy! :3 Oh, and as per usual, please review if you read. I don't bite on good days. I will reply to you if you decide to talk to me. Honesty is my soulmate, so don't lie to me and tell me it's good if it ain't. :)

...

7. Alienation

_My eyes open to a dark place. My first thought is 'what the hell?' Have I been here before? Do I recognize this place? _

_No. Oh, please, no. NO!_

"Shut _up, _woman!"

Raize sat up and shut her mouth, barely realizing she'd been screaming through the tremors that ran down her spine. _Breathe, Raize. Breathe. No more screaming. You're awake. You're safe now. _"Hiei?" She asked shakily. "What the hell?"

"Is that the _only _phrase in your vocabulary?" He grumbled, wincing. One hand was pressed to the side of his head, which, for some reason, felt like it had been split in two with an axe.

"You're one to talk," she grouched back. "What're you doing here?"

"I did say you couldn't beat Aidan in your current state."

"Oh." The tiny youkai blinked. "Okay." She tossed the sheets on her bed back and got up, stretching. She wasn't wearing her jumpsuit for a change, clad in a gray T-shirt and baggy black basketball shorts. The shirt was so big that it nearly slid off her right shoulder, showing her smoldering brand and the strap of her white tank top.

"We're paying the fox a visit. Hurry up." Hiei turned and stalked out of her room like an annoyed cat, heading toward the kitchen.

Raize pulled a pair of white socks out of her dresser, hopping first on one foot and then the other trying to put them on, then shoved her feet into her beat up black sneakers, yawning until her jaw cracked. "Hey, you hungry?" She called, shutting the blinds on her window and following Hiei into the kitchen.

"No."

"You sure?" She arched a quizzical eyebrow, grabbing an orange from a bowl on the counter and bouncing it in her palm.

Hiei gave her a 'didn't-I-_just_-answer-that?' look.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." Then she froze, blinking incredulously. "How did you get in, anyway? The door was locked."

"The window was open, idiot."

"Was _not. _I would've known," she growled, eyes narrowing. She tore the peel off her orange viciously, hurling it at Hiei's head. "You broke in."

The fire youkai looked up calmly, incinerating the pieces before they touched him. "You did the same."

"Kurama's window _was _open. Mine was not."

"If his was, so was yours."

"Okay, so how in the sacrilegious _hell _did you pick the lock? And I'm _not _implying that I broke into Kurama's..." She turned a chair from the table backwards and sat down across from Hiei, tilting her head. "... But the alarm I put on the window was made of my own youki. It should've woken me up."

Hiei blinked. Pointed to himself. "Fire." Pointed to Raize. "Water." Pointed at the window. "Fire neutralizes water."

Raize stared at him for a second. "Never, in my entire life, have I felt more like slapping myself than I do right now."

He smirked and shook his head, turning toward the door. His feet were silent across the floorboards, which made Raize feel slightly better about the fact that she hadn't heard him come in. Just before he walked out, though, he stopped. "Why did you paint the floor?"

"What, with that dance?"

His answer was an affirmative "hn."

She was silent for a moment, lost in thought. When she finally spoke, her voice was halting. "I guess... somehow it felt... unfinished. I had to... oh, I don't know!" She threw her hands up and stomped past him, out the door. "It's impossible to explain. Can we go now?"

Hiei's headache came roaring back with a vengeance as he followed her out, rubbing his temples. _Damned unstable woman..._

…

Kurama was waiting for them outside when they finally showed up. "Good morning."

"Hn. Here she is. Have fun with her." Hiei turned to walk away, figuring his job was done. Then, with barely half a second to spare, he ducked under Raize's swinging fist, glaring at her over his shoulder. Apparently she hadn't taken too kindly to the 'have fun with her' remark.

"Actually, Hiei, you're going to be coming with us."

He stopped and looked back at the kitsune. "Am I, now?"

"I think Raize would have... ahem... less reservations about training with you."

A barrage of 'WHAT-THE-HELL-IS-THAT-SUPPOSED-TO-MEAN?' glares from both Hiei and Raize bounced off Kurama's serene face.

_Youko told her he'd kick her ass. I don't think she's going to get any better if she's running away from me, _he clarified for the fire youkai.

Said youkai smirked. _She's scared of you?_

_Maybe not scared, but she knows she can't win, so what would be the point? _Kurama turned and led them out of the city, towards Genkai's temple.

_Hn. Maybe she should be fighting the fool, then. She has no chance of beating me, either. Not in training like this._

_Again, perhaps not, but you _are _the closest to Aidan in terms of energy._

Hiei outright snarled at the fox, lips curling back menacingly over a double row of sharp white teeth. _Do NOT compare me to THAT._

_Calm yourself, Hiei. I meant nothing personal; it was simply an observation. _Kurama gave him an unruffled smile, backing up his words.

_Hn._

"Hey Hiei?" Raize asked, jogging up beside them. She hadn't heard their conversation, but she'd sensed from their expressions that they'd been talking. "Those bandages on your arm – what're they for?"

Hiei's mouth curved into the darkest smirk she'd ever seen on his face as he ran his fingers over the back of his right fist. "You'll see soon enough."

The look on his face unsettled her, but his cryptic response triggered a full-blown red flag. It was a weapon, wasn't it? How could it be anything else, with that look? Raize glanced at Kurama for clarification, but he just shook his head, hiding a grin. The water youkai frowned, driven further into thought, until she saw where they'd stopped. She caught her breath and her eyes widened, as if trying to take in every bit of scenery all at once. "Brain overload," she squeaked. "Are we... here? Really?"

They stood on the edge of a wide meadow, blanketed in tall, untamed grass and unruly wildflowers. A pond lay just to their right, like a seamless blend of earth and sky, still and quiet in the cool afternoon. The whole place had an air of safety about it, like whoever was here was the only person in the entire world, and no matter what happened, they would never be in pain as long as they stayed. The whole feeling made Raize want to break down and cry, simply because in her experience, there wasn't a safe place left in the world anymore.

Kurama's voice shook her from her reverie, nudging her back into reality. "Do you mind a preliminary match before anything serious, Raize?"

"Um, sure. No problem, I guess." She scraped the back of her arm over her stinging eyes and stepped into the grass gingerly, as if waiting for a command.

The metallic whisper of Hiei's katana being drawn was the sound she'd been listening for.

The two youkai shot into the air like bullets from a gun, instant death to anyone who dared try to stop them. Three seconds later, they plummeted back down to earth, rolling twice before Raize's back connected with the ground.

Hiei pressed his blade to her neck as fire sparked in his eyes. "You're going to have to come up with an actual plan if you want to beat me. Surprise won't work forever."

Raize's gaze flicked to the cold metal cutting into her skin. "Surprise wasn't quite what I was going for, anyway."

Too late he saw her eyes blaze in triumph, and then volatile, crackling youki roared around his katana, yanking it out of his hand and flinging it away into the labyrinth of tall grass.

Raize rolled backwards while he was distracted and jumped lightly to her feet, grinning. "Again!"

Kurama watched from the treeline calmly, shaking his head at Raize's childlike eagerness. She was extremely physical, not afraid to throw punches or take them – which reminded him somewhat of Yusuke, on a smaller scale. She didn't know how to further her advantages, though, staying too close to her opponent when using her natural speed would've saved her a few bruises.

"Yo, Kurama!" A familiar voice called from the woods behind the redhead.

"Yusuke? I thought you said you were actually going to school today," Kurama grinned, but he didn't turn around, preferring to stay focused on the fight.

"That was before I found out about _this. _Wouldn't miss it for the world."

The kitsune chuckled. "She's not bad – reminds me a little of you. Physical, rough around the edges, thinks on her feet... if we can train her, she could be a force to be reckoned with."

"You said 'if'. What's up with that?"

"Watch," he replied, pointing to the two just as Hiei landed a punch right in the middle of Raize's chest and sent her flying backward. Kurama shook his head again, ruefully this time. "She doesn't know how to use her natural speed. It would've been child's play for her to turn and dodge that, but she freezes up just before the point of contact. I'm afraid if she hasn't learned to use what she has to her advantage by now, she may never."

Yusuke made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. "Well, ya know how I started out. I wouldn't worry too much."

Kurama finally turned to look at the spirit detective. "Yusuke, even if we do train her, what good will it do? Are we setting her up to kill herself?" His question was asked flatly, without a trace of emotion showing in his smooth voice or cool green eyes.

Yusuke sighed. "For once, man, I don't even have an answer. I have no idea how we're gonna close this case."

Both nearly jumped right out of their skins when they heard an earsplitting shout from the direction of the two combatants, who had finally separated.

"KURAAAAAMAAAA! IT'S GONNA FRIKKIN' _EAT_ ME!" Raize yelled, hurtling back toward the trees. Her eyes were bigger than saucers and her short hair was flung straight back behind her as she sprinted for safety, running from the raging, undulating column of dark flames that was the Kokoryuha.

The dragon roared deafeningly, rearing its ferocious head.

"Oh shit," Yusuke muttered.

"Oh _shit_," Kurama echoed.

"OH SHIIIIIIIIT!" Raize shrieked.

Hiei stood out in the middle of the meadow, right arm outstretched. A fierce grin tore at his face, splitting his lips in the blistering heat.

"HIEI! CALL THE DAMN THING OFF!" Raize yelled over her shoulder. Unfortunately, she wasn't keeping tabs on where she was going, and ended up running face-first into a tree. "Aw, wonderful," she muttered against the rough bark, then pushed herself away and dove sideways just as the dragon rammed its serpentine head into the place where her shoulder had just been.

He let out a low, mirthless chuckle. "Once the dragon is unleashed, I can't pull it back. You're going to have to come up with some way to block it, or else you're going to die."

_Hiei, please tell me you're actually doing what I think you're doing, _Kurama growled silently, _or I will be forced to intervene._

_No, I'm not doing what you think I'm doing. I'm going to murder her, _the fire youkai answered flatly.

_Hiei. _There were several threats packed into that one word, and Kurama made no effort to hide them.

_Calm yourself, kitsune, _Hiei smirked, using the fox's own words against him. _The cretin's instincts only surface when her life is threatened; she'll find a way to block it or run to the ends of the earth. Haven't you noticed how strong her will to survive is?_

_What if she can't block it?_

_Just watch._

The dragon had finally cornered Raize, coiled around her like an angry snake. It hissed and bared its teeth, drawing back in preparation to strike.

Raize's eyes roared into electric green flames and she snarled right back at it, knowing she had nowhere else to run. "Come on, then, dragon," she growled, crouching in the grass and pressing her palms into the soft earth.

The beast howled and dove downward, and Raize was swallowed in dark flames.

For one moment in time, there was absolute silence. Nothing moved, no one breathed. Kurama's eyes bored a smoldering hole through Hiei's skull. Hiei's gaze, however, was fixed on the dark, fearsome apparition near the treeline. Sweat dripped from Yusuke's clenched fists. The dragon stood frozen, seeming to fall out of existence for a split second. Then all hell broke loose.

An echoing roar screamed through the clearing, shuddering through the trees and rocking the earth violently. It came from the dragon's jaws, but wasn't the beast's voice. It was a higher pitch, harsh and scathing, a sound of desperation and fury and pain. Uncontrollable youki flared out from the same source as the scream, silent and faster than greased lightning. Then it pulled back in on itself and _exploded. _

Hiei's Kokoryuha shrieked and leaped away from this new terror, hissing reproachfully and lashing its tail. It really was fading in and out of existence, proving that it had been heavily damaged.

When the crackling residue of the explosion cleared, there was Raize, still crouched low and shivering like she'd been thrown in a freezer. Her lips were pale blue and her face was chalky white, nearly matching her hair. Her fingers were torn and bloody and dirty, still stuck halfway in the grass, and her clothes were ripped in several places, revealing various other, more serious wounds. "I... will murder you... if you _ever... _pull that trick on me... again," she rasped, voice barely audible. Then her nightmarish eyes rolled back in her head and she lost her balance, crumpling sideways onto the suddenly parched ground.

"Holy shit," Yusuke breathed as the Kokoryuha gave one last scream of defiance and faded away completely. "Crazy girl actually did it."

Kurama trotted over to her side and pressed his fingers to her wrist. Her pulse beat like the wings of a tiny bird. "At what price, though? If she collapses like this every time she uses that attack – or defense, so to speak – then it's not something she'll be able to use very often."

Hiei snorted. "She was a dumbass to even try that technique."

"This is coming from the vertically challenged youkai that _called the Dragon of the Darkness Flames down on her_," Kurama retorted. "Now, care to run that remark by me again?"

"She pulled water right from the earth, baka kitsune. When she reached the extent of her range, she started _using air. _I'm sure you can understand the science behind it – if she'd drawn in any more, it would've started suffocating us."

"At least she _survived_. That five-minute match was more than we'd planned to throw at her in the span of three weeks. And in a one-on-one fight, it would be useful against her opponent if she could defend herself and cut off his air supply at the same time."

Hiei was about to make another scathing remark when he heard Yusuke snickering.

"Hiei," the detective laughed, "you just got your dragon's ass whipped... by a _girl. _You know I'll never let you live this down, right?"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Wonderful."

…

Raize opened her eyes to a small, unfamiliar room. The wood floor was bare except for the futon she was curled up on and the only light was what managed to trickle in from the window. She rubbed her face with bandaged hands, grimacing at the aches and pains shooting through her whole body as she tried to sit up.

"I'd stay down if I were you." Hiei sat in the window, staring outside, hands wrapped around a cup of something. It was hot, judging by the steam curling into the air.

"What. In. The. Sacrilegious. HELL. Was. THAT?" She ground out every word between gritted teeth, glowering at him.

"You asked what the bandages on my arm were for. I showed you." His eyes still hadn't strayed from the world outside, but his voice suggested that her annoyance amused him.

"I could've _killed _you. I pulled water from every damn place I knew, _including _the air, and that's a source I can't control at _all_ – you could've _died, _dammit! You people... I swear. You go and tell me all you're doing is babysitting me, and then you try to make me kill you. Stupid!"

Hiei's head whipped around and he stared at her from completely confused eyes. That had been a twisted statement if he'd ever heard one – he'd unleashed the Kokoryuha on her, and she was worried about suffocating them. "... You idiot."

Raize glared at him, but she didn't break the silence that fell like a velvet blanket over the room. It was still for about ten minutes, disturbed by nothing save their quiet breathing, until Hiei finally spoke again.

"... Who were you running from?"

Raize blinked. "Huh?"

"In your sleep. Who was chasing you?" He had turned to look out the window again, hiding annoyance or curiosity, Raize couldn't tell which.

When she answered, her words dripped with sarcasm. "I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count."

"I see." So it had been Aidan.

"Said the blind man." She laughed bitterly, voice lilting scathingly over the space between them. "At least it wasn't like last time."

"Oh?"

"The one in my apartment. I... I never got to thank you for yelling at me."

"What nonsense are you pulling out of your ass, woman? Thank me for yelling at you?" He glanced over at her with a 'what-the-hell?' look on his face.

"You woke me up before things got... rated 'R', so to speak. And I'm grateful for that. Oh, you don't know how grateful I am for that," she shook her head ruefully.

"Don't be." He dropped lightly to the floor and handed her the cup he'd been holding, then vanished out the door without a sound.

Raize sniffed the liquid cautiously, then smiled. "Coffee with sugar and vanilla? Either Kurama saw the recipe on my wall or Hiei suddenly has a nice streak. Nah, I'm betting on Kurama."

…

Hours later, when the sun had begun to abandon the sky, Raize finally pushed herself to her feet and jumped out the window, prowling restlessly through the trees surrounding Genkai's temple. Her dreams still haunted her, pulling at the edges of her fraying mind. "This has to stop," she whispered to no one. Then, for lack of anything else better to do, she lifted her head to the darkening skies and started to sing.

"Heaven bent to take my hand,

Lead me through the fire

Be the long awaited answer

To a long and painful fight.

Truth be told, I've tried my best,

But somewhere along the way,

I got caught up in all there was to offer.

And the cost was so much more than I could bear...

Though I've tried... I've fallen,

I have sunk so low.

I messed up, better I should know...

So don't come 'round here, and tell me 'I told you so'...

We all begin with good intent,

Love was raw 'n young.

We believed that we could change ourselves,

The past could be undone.

But we carry on our backs the burden time always reveals,

In the lonely light of morning,

In the wound that would not heal –

It's the bitter taste of losing everything that I held so dear,

I've... fallen,

I have sunk so low.

I messed up, better I should know.

So don't come 'round here, 'n tell me 'I told you so'...

No-oh, oh...

Heaven bent to take my hand,

Nowhere left to turn.

I'm lost to those I thought were friends,

To everyone I know.

Oh, they turn their heads, embarrassed,

Pretend that they don't see –

That it's one misstep, one slip before you know it...

… And there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed.

Though I've tried... I've fallen,

I have sunk so low.

I messed up, better I should know.

So don't come 'round here, and tell me 'I told you so'...

No-oh, oh,

I messed up, better I should know.

But don't come 'round here, and tell me 'I told you so'..."

The haunting, resigned melody faded into the night, leaving Raize alone with no inclination to sing anything else. She ran her hand over her brand, not surprised that it was blistering hot, and leaned against the trunk of a sturdy tree. "Geez, when did I get so psycho and depressed?" She wondered out loud sarcastically, scrunching one eyebrow down. Then she changed her voice to a high, breathy falsetto, widening her eyes and pouting her lips. "Oh, we _looooove _you Raize, but you're just going to have to be better! We can't keep you if you can't get along with your brother, not even if he blames you for everything he does wrong! Especially not if we totally believe him!" Then, another voice – this one a deep, growling one, plus a comic scowl. "You are useless! I can't deal with you, get out of my sight!"

"Your imitations aren't believable by a long shot."

Raize's eyes shifted wearily to the shadowy figure ghosting through the trees toward her. "Fancy seeing you out here," she muttered. "They're not supposed to be believable."

"Then what are they supposed to be?"

"Fakes. Every single one of them," she growled.

"I see."

"Do you?"

Hiei smirked. "More than you know."

"Race me?"

"I suppose I don't have anything better to do."

She grinned. "Thanks."

"Hn." He rolled his eyes and they sprinted away, dodging through tree limbs set like an obstacle course in the dark.

They both saw the two branches ahead of them, hanging at about the same height and set just far enough apart for one person at a time to pass between them. Both youkai sped up, determined to get through first, and ended up in front of the branches at the exact same time. Since Raize was slightly more centered, she turned sideways and slipped through the gap, smirking.

Hiei, however, had ducked under the tree limbs, reaching out to shove Raize sideways so they wouldn't end up in a tangled heap on the ground. His hand connected with her right side, over the brand Aidan had given her, and both of them froze where they were.

A roar blasted through their ears, unearthly and haunting, like a winter wind howling over the mountains – then a link opened between their minds, an avalanche of thoughts and feelings that knew no reservations.

_I could hear them; I was aware even as an infant._

_They abandoned me... broke me down... and here I am._

_Do you know how it feels, the sensation of blood running over your fingertips?_

_I watched them die. I watched their blood drip off of his fingers._

_I watched myself die and didn't care._

_I didn't care that I was about to kill him. I wanted him to die._

_Kurama confused me – he still does. I was about to kill him, wasn't I?_

_Three out of the four triggered my killer instinct – they were powerful._

"_Then why didn't you just arrest her master?"_

_I am no one. I am nothing. I am invisible... watch me disappear._

_No, I'm not doing what you think I'm doing. I'm going to murder her._

_HOLY SHIT I'M GONNA GET EATEN!_

_She'll block it. There's nowhere she can run._

_Here goes everything._

_Damn, she actually did it._

_Oh, ow. Ow. Never doing that again. Ever._

_Good thing Yukina was there... I wasn't sure if she'd live or not._

_Where am I?_

_What was that look in her eyes? Does she...?_

_Where am I?_

_Does she know? Does she suspect something? If she does know, what does it mean? No, it won't change anything. I'll just..._

_Disappear... I said disappear, dammit! Crap, now he's after me again! RUN!_

_Has anyone noticed that we're similar? Anyone besides those who obviously know already? Has Raize noticed? Damned cretin, just my luck that she would. If she does, I'll kill her._

Hiei wrestled against the link and finally managed to yank away, shoving Raize backwards into a tree. His eyes flew open and he dragged air into his lungs, like he'd barely escaped drowning.

Raize's face wore the same expression as it had when Aidan had attacked her in the woods – blank, jaw set, staring at nothing, even though landing flat on her butt must've hurt a little. Then a light went on behind her eyes and they flicked over to Hiei, narrowing. "You... have issues."

He snorted. "You're one to talk." Then he turned his back on her, shutting her out, and disappeared without a sound.

"I hate it when he does that," the tiny youkai grumbled, pulling her knees up to her chest. When she wrapped her arms around her legs, her facade fell with a crash and she let tears fall from her cheeks unchecked, burying her face between her forearms and knees. "Why did I have to do that? I just pushed him away when that was the last thing he needed. Now he really does have a reason to hate me... I'm such an idiot. Someone please just shoot me," she mumbled miserably, curling onto her side. "Professional screwup for hire. Will wreck your life for food." Then she closed her eyes and let sleep kick her over the edge into oblivion.


	8. Midnight Madness BREAK IN THE STORY!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hiei. Or YYH. They'd be in big trouble if I did. I own Raize, and I kinda _am _Phyre, so yeah. :) But that's about it.

Warnings: … Total insanity.

A/N: Written on my sixteenth birthday at about 11 at night. NO, I was not drunk, but YES, I thought this would be funny. YES, I know Hiei is vastly out of character and probably would stake _me _if he ever read this. Too bad. ^^ Chocolate, sorry about the iffy chapter. XD Reading back over it, I see your point. Kinda makes me want to put my head through the nearest wall for not being up to standards. Eheh. Anywho! Enjoy the craziness!

...

Raize: ... have you been drinking?

Phyre: Course not. Why?

Raize: First rule of thumb when trying to disguise the fact that you GET COMPLETELY DRUNK ON YOUR B-DAY EVERY YEAR - THROW THE TEQUILA BOTTLE AWAY.

Phyre: Damn.

Hiei: *snickers*

Phyre: *smacks Hiei with tequila bottle*

Hiei: DRAGON... OF THE DARKNESS...

Raize: SHIT! *grabs Hiei, covers his mouth*

Hiei: #$&*#$!

Raize: Apologize for your sorry pyro ass, Hiei! We do not fry the birthday girl!

Hiei: *glares*

Phyre: ^.^ Hee, that's okay. Can we throw him in the pool?

Raize: I didn't know you had a pool.

Phyre: I don't. Buuuuut since you're a nice little water youkai, you can make me one can't you? *puppy eyes*

Raize: HEY. That's... actually not a bad idea! ... but where are we gonna put it?

Phyre: ... shit.

Hiei: HAH! *points*

Phyre: *smacks Hiei again with the bottle*

Hiei: *Bites Raize's hand trying to get free*

Raize: OW! Phyre, help me out. We're gonna ducttape this little bastard to a chair until we find out where we're gonna put the pool, and then we're gonna throw him in there.

Phyre: *tipsy* OKEY DOKEY!

Raize: Geez. Am I the ONLY sane one around here? -.-

Phyre: ... heeeey... I'm sane when I'm not drunk...

Raize: Your logic is invalid at the present moment. YOU'RE DRUNK.

Phyre: *pouts* damn.

Raize: *ducttapes Hiei to a chair* Here, get his mouth.

Phyre: Why? You do it!

Raize: He's already bitten me once! Why would I do it? *tosses ducttape to Phyre*

Phyre: Cause he won't seriously hurt _you! _*tosses ducttape back*

Raize: Damn chicken!

Phyre: Look who's talkin'!

Raize: FINE. Match you for it.

Phyre/Raize: Rock, paper, scissors!

Raize: HA! Paper over rock, loser!

Phyre: Gur. Fine then.

Hiei: *snaps teeth at Phyre*

Phyre: Damn vampire! I will stake you! *brandishes tequila bottle*

Hiei: *glares* At least I don't sparkle.

Phyre: Oh, shut up and sit still, or I WILL break this thing over your head! And _then_ I'll stake you! *ducttapes his mouth*

Hiei: *still glaring*

Raize: Niiice.

Phyre: *bows* thank you. Now - about the pool.

Raize: Hey, got it! We don't _need _somewhere to put it, I can just hold the water in shape with my energy!

Phyre: *bonks Raize on the head with the bottle* Wow. Why didn't you mention this earlier?

Raize: Eheh... ^.^U I uh... kinda forgot...

Phyre: *bonks her again* Okay okay okay. Back yard's big enough. Let's get out there.

Hiei: _Aw, shit._

Raize: *creates instant pool* This big enough for ya, birthday girl?

Phyre: HEEELL YEAAAAAAH!

Raize: Cool then. Help me pick Hiei up.

Phyre/Raize: Ready? One... two... THREE!

Hiei: _NOOOOOOO! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!_ …... *sploosh*


	9. Illusions

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Yu Yu Hakusho, except my OC Raize. Got the bruises to prove it too...

Warnings: language, insanity, and random hugs.

A/N: I AM SO SORRY for the wait. I know, I know, I suck! And no matter _how _many times I edit it, so does this chapter. Or so I think. But hey, I'm done with it, and now it's up for review. I hope. I literally had a meltdown over this damn thing, so I _sincerely_ hope someone will have it in their heart to wade through it and not fall asleep. Like I'm about to. I can feel muscles I didn't even know I had right now. Goodnight.

…

8. Illusions

"Excuse me – are you alright?"

Raize groaned and opened her itchy eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine... what the –?" She scrambled upright, staring at her new company. The voice wasn't familiar, and neither was the appearance.

The girl was tiny and slender like her, very near her own height. Her eyes were wide and innocent, deep red in color and seeming to reflect the whole world.

_Innocent, _the water youkai thought, _but not naïve. _Then her eyes strayed to the other girl's hair, which fell down her back in long, fine wintergreen tresses. It looked so soft that Raize had the sudden urge to reach out and pet it.

Then she realized she was staring and clapped her hand over her mouth, blushing furiously. "Sorry, sorry!" She apologized hastily, bowing. "I-I didn't mean to stare."

The other girl laughed, voice reminiscent of snow, sweet and hushed. "No, that's okay. I'm Yukina; you're Raize, right?"

"Um, yeah... do I know you?" Raize bit down on her chapped lip. Her feet shifted uneasily; something about the girl was familiar, but... off, somehow.

"Probably not. You were unconscious when we first met. I took care of you after your fight with Hiei-san."

Raize bowed again, trying not to fidget. "Thanks for that. He has a mean right hook," she grinned shyly.

Yukina giggled. "That sounds like Hiei-san, alright. Come with me – I'm sure you're hungry." She turned and walked away with prim, even steps, leaving Raize to follow.

Right on cue, the water youkai's stomach rumbled. "Eep," she squeaked. "I think my stomach is about to become a cannibal."

…

When they arrived at the temple, they found Kurama sitting at the table in the kitchen, drinking tea and reading the paper. The picture struck Raize as absurdly normal and out-of-place, and she suppressed a giggle fueled by a starved, quickly-zombifying brain.

"Good morning, Kurama-san," Yukina smiled. "Raize, sit down and I'll go find some breakfast for you."

Raize obeyed uncomfortably. She didn't like the idea of letting someone else do all the work, especially with that strange feeling she got around Yukina.

Kurama smiled into his newspaper. "Live with it. She actually does this quite often."

Raize rubbed her eyes and set her head down on the table. "Yeah, well, living with it doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

He chuckled. "That's true. What were you doing out in the woods last night, anyway?" At her incredulous look, he tilted his head toward her slightly. "You still have leaves in your hair."

"Oh." She let out an indecisive sigh. "Do you want the truth, or the simple version?"

"Well, let's not build a base of lies, shall we? I think there's enough of a complex web in place already."

Raize grimaced like someone had dropped an ice cube down her shirt. "Damn. I was afraid you'd say that."

"You knew I would."

The water youkai glared at him, still chewing her lip. "I f**ked up."

"Oh?"

"Okay, I couldn't sleep last night, and long story short, I ended up running into Hiei."

"I assume the height pun was unintentional."

A wry grin quirked at her lips. "You assume right."

"It's a bad habit."

"Oh, shut up, smart ass. Anyway, we started a race and at one point he reached out to shove me. When he touched my side, something weird happened with my brand and we kind of..." She floundered for a word that felt right.

"Linked?" Kurama suggested.

"Yeah, I guess. No reservations, and I mean _none. _I think he thinks I did it on purpose. And his mind is his safety zone, right? So that makes me an invader, which _really _gives him a reason to hate me, and I didn't even mean it, and he's gonna be all pissed off and it's my fault and I'm an idiot."

"Occasionally. I wouldn't worry over it; he's been through worse."

"I'm a _woman, _Kurama. Worrying is my _job," _she muttered, crossing her arms. She couldn't sit still, though, and ended up uncrossing them in the same instant. "I'm just... I'm sick of screwing up like this. I'm sick of hating, of being hated... of everything." She put her head back down with a _thud, _probably giving herself a bruise. "And you did _not _just hear that."

"Raize. Look at me."

"I don't wanna," she growled. "You're laughing at me."

"Too bad."

She turned her head to the side and peered up at him out of one eye, glaring at his amused expression.

"You act like our opinions of you don't matter, but you're walking on eggshells trying to keep yourself out of trouble. I think more than anything, you're confusing the hell out of Hiei, not turning him against you. You are honest about everything except how much other people matter to you. Does that make any sense?"

Her head shot up and she rubbed her eyes again, thanking Yukina twice when the Koorime set a plate of bacon and toast in front of her, smiled, and flitted away. "Coming from you... yeah, I guess it does," she admitted grudgingly. "Do you mind if I ask a question about yesterday, though?"

Kurama smiled slowly, very much the image of a wise old fox. "So you did notice. Hiei owes me."

"Don't tell me you made a _bet _over this. I haven't even asked my question!" Raize's jaw dropped in surprise and annoyance.

The kitsune set the newspaper down and steepled his fingers together in front of his chin. "Something about the Kokoryuha, am I right?"

"Damn you," Raize grumbled. "Okay, so why did it feel... hollow? Almost like it was more bark than bite, which doesn't make sense, especially with Hiei's personality."

Kurama pursed his lips, narrowing his cool green eyes thoughtfully. "Have you ever made something out of clay?"

"Yeah, I guess, but what does –"

He cut her off by holding up one hand. "Patience. I'll get there. So you would agree, if you had a malleable medium, that it's possible to create any shape you want?"

"Yeah..."

"Let's put it this way – Hiei's 'medium', so to speak, is fire."

Understanding dawned on Raize's face like a sunrise. "So he made an imitation of the dragon to make me _think _I was gonna get eaten?"

"Something like that, yes," he grinned. "He explained it to me after the fact. I knew something was off, because the real dragon would've killed you easily, and Hiei would've passed out. The 'imitation dragon' looks exactly like the real Kokoryuha, except it's only about a fourth as powerful and requires less energy."

"Wow. He's smarter than I gave him credit for."

"Oh, he's full of surprises," Kurama replied wryly, rolling his eyes.

A strange look fell over Raize's face. "You guys aren't... are you?" She covered her mouth as soon as she'd spoken, flinching back. "Oh crap. You didn't just hear that. Erase the last thirty seconds of your life."

Kurama's eyes narrowed again, flashing gold like afternoon sunlight lancing through the leaves of a tree. "Hiei is practically my brother, Raize – _not _my lover."

She let out the breath she'd been holding. "Sorry. It's not that I'd hate you or anything if you _were, _but that comment just sounded kinda... awkward."

He shook his head with a 'you-really-are-an-idiot-sometimes' smile. "Apology accepted. I'm glad it was me you asked instead of Hiei."

Raize stifled a snicker. "_That _would've gone over well. Speak of the devil, where'd he go?"

"Last I saw, he was still asleep, which is rare for him. Usually he's up at about 4:30."

"He actually sleeps inside? And how does he get away with waking up so early, especially when he stays out so late?"

"Every once in a while, he does fall asleep inside, _if _he falls asleep at all. He's an insomniac. I've offered help, but he won't let me drug him. Three guesses why that is," Kurama added to himself.

"Wow. Coffee and insomnia... that's a sucky combination if I ever saw one."

"That's a little hypocritical, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"You have the exact same problem."

She blinked. Thought for a minute. Then laughed, sheepish but not really minding. "You're right. Again."

"Another bad habit."

"You seem to have quite a few of those," she mumbled as she ducked her head, grinning.

Kurama smiled and shook his head as he went back to the paper. "You have no idea." It was silent for a while, and at first he didn't notice when Raize started staring at him from under her hair.

"What?" He asked suspiciously.

She bit down on her lip to hide a smirk, shaking her head.

"Raize."

She shook her head again, but her trembling shoulders gave away her laughter. "I'm sorry," she gasped through a fit of giggles. "My brain is starved. It makes me stupid sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Confusion didn't even begin to describe the expression on the redhead's face.

The tiny youkai looked up at him again, suddenly shy. "This happened earlier too... when I saw Yukina's hair I wanted to pet it..." She buried her face in her hands and burst out laughing again, nearly crying. "Okay, there is _really _something wrong with me..."

"For once, I'm inclined to agree."

Raize peeked through her fingers at him. "Can I pet your hair?"

He blinked.

"I'm serious. It's driving me insane."

"Um... I suppose so..."

"Can I braid it?"

"If you want..."

Raize flitted to the sink and washed her hands, then bounced over to him and stood behind his chair, fingers poised above his head playfully like she was about to attack him. Then a sudden thought struck her. "Are you tender-headed?"

Kurama chuckled at the randomness of the question. "Not really."

She touched the crown of his head gingerly, then threaded her fingers through his hair when he stayed still and serene. His long mane was the color of autumn leaves and a nighttime bonfire burning low, soft and feathery. She had actually expected it to be heavier and thicker, like the fur of a fox, but instead it felt light and flyaway, like bird wings. "Have you ever cut it?"

"Once. It felt so strange that I let it grow back and never cut it again."

Raize smiled as she separated his hair into three main strands at the back of his neck. "I see."

"Said the blind man."

"You say that too?"

He smiled. "I must have picked it up from my life here. Hiei thinks it's strange, how these people have grown on me."

Raize frowned. "I think it's strange that people haven't grown on _him._ I mean he's been here for a long time, right?"

"Yes, but Hiei is Hiei, Raize. That's like trying to grow moss on a rolling boulder – it doesn't work."

"So why does he shut everyone out? I'm confused."

"That's not my story to tell. His past is something you'll have to hear from him."

"Can I be honest with you?"

"I'd prefer it if you were."

Raize's moving hands stilled. "I'm afraid."

"Of?"

"Hiei."

"Either that's a lie, or you're a very good actress."

"Sorry, let me narrow that down. I'm afraid of who I see when I look in Hiei's eyes."

"And who would that be?"

"Who I became when I almost killed Aidan. I can't explain it… I thought I'd suppressed that part of me. Then I look at him, and I see this iron tenacity and fighting instinct that I used to see in myself... except magnified by about a hundred times. I don't wanna be a killer, Kurama. I thought – and this is my weird, twisted logic speaking, here – I thought that if I got rid of Aidan and therefore myself, I'd be better off, dead and gone… but what if something went wrong? What if one or the other – or hell, what if _both _of us escaped alive? That would defeat the whole purpose, and then instead of _one _demented freak to deal with, you've got two, right? But now I don't know whether to be glad or hating myself that I didn't carry out my original plan. Now I'm second-guessing everything because you had to go and give me my necklace back, and I'm scared and confused and feeling really stupid." She took the elastic band that he held out and wrapped it around the last section of his braid, snapping it into place with an air of finality.

Kurama turned to look at her. "If I told you a secret, would you believe me?"

"The part of my heart that's still a naïve little girl wants to. My brain says not to," she replied wryly, setting her hands on her hips.

"Well, not to sound sappy, but in this instance, listen to your heart, because it's the one that's telling the truth."

"Okay, shoot then."

"You think I returned your pendant, don't you?"

"Well, yeah... who else would it have been?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Think, Raize. It wasn't me."

After a moment of silence, her eyes widened. "_No. Way._"

"Is it really that hard to believe?"

"_Hiei? _Hiei gave me my necklace back? But he –"

" - Knows how it is to lose something that means the world to him and have to go look for it for years on end. As much as he might hate showing kindness, he won't wish pain on someone that doesn't deserve it in his eyes."

Raize rocked back on her heels, whistling long and low. "Wow." Then another thought struck her and she leaned forward, a slight crease between her eyebrows as she searched Kurama's face. "So... what about you?"

"What about me?" The kitsune leaned back in turn evasively.

"Do you hate showing kindness?"

"You're being very blunt about it." He crossed his arms, closing off the space between them.

She lifted her shoulders in a languid, easy shrug, conceding. "Call it the start of breaking old habits."

He sighed. "In truth, I'm not sure how to answer your question."

Raize tilted her head, a mix of mischief and genuine curiosity in her eyes. "Wanna go for a walk? Clear your mind a little?"

A wry smile quirked at Kurama's lips. "Are you going to try to read the answer out of me?"

The mischief in her eyes manifested as a wide grin that cracked her chapped bottom lip, but she didn't seem to notice. "So you've been warned – fair enough. Why not? Maybe all you need is a second opinion."

He got up with a slightly bemused, guarded expression settled deep behind his otherwise impassive face, following her to the door. "Maybe."

As they wandered, Raize trotted ahead and then fell behind, like the scout of a wolf pack, always watching, moving, sharp and alert. She never directly stared at him, but still she observed, never quite walking beside him but close enough to remind him that she was there.

Kurama didn't seem to mind her quick, incessant movement, or the occasional dart of her eyes over his shoulder. He had a long, unhurried stride, so placid and silent that it was hard to believe he could break into a full sprint or be ready to kill in an instant.

Finally, Raize spoke. "Geez, you're tough, man. But no, you don't hate showing kindness."

"Oh?" He stopped and turned toward the spot she presently occupied, leaning against a tree, arms folded with the bottom of one foot pressed against the bark, as if seeking to draw from its stability.

Her green eyes blazed like embers when a shaft of sunlight lanced into them. "It's not hatred. It's just... difficult. Your mind is logical and calculating, and it sees kindness as a way to get what you want. But there's more than that. You rebelled against your nature as a thief – because of someone you met here, correct? And now you try to make the conscious decision to be kind, even if you don't serve to gain anything by it. It's not always easy, but you figure fair is fair since the alternative isn't 'right'. How am I doing so far?"

Kurama chuckled softly, almost bitterly, shaking his head. "I have to know... where did you learn how to do that?"

"What, read people?" She frowned slightly. "I don't remember learning it... I just remember _doing _it. Obviously I'm not very good at it – Aidan's proof of that – but no one really _taught _me, if that's what you're looking for." A shrug pulled at her slim shoulders again. "Sorry."

He kept laughing, covering his face with one hand. "Oh, Raize."

The water youkai's frown deepened. "You okay?"

He gave no answer, only looked at her through his fingers like she was the most thick-headed person on the earth.

Raize glared at him. "Not funny." Then she flitted to his side, pried his hand away from his face, and wrapped her arms around him in a vice-like hug, pressing her cheek to his chest.

Kurama blinked at her. His hands fell to her shoulders, as if to push her away, but he didn't really make an active attempt to disentangle himself from her. He opened his mouth to speak uncomfortably.

"No talking." Raize's command was muffled, but firm. "I know you don't trust me. You don't have to. I just... thought you needed a hug."

"You strange child," he murmured, and almost awkwardly, he hugged her back.


	10. Surprise Party, Pt 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to YYH, or 'Scream' by Michael Jackson (RIP.). I do own a brain, Raize, Aidan, and 'the other eight'. If I _did _own YYH, Hiei wouldn't be hunting me down right now for writing that 'Midnight Madness' chapter. XD I REGRET NOTHING! *runs away screaming*

Warnings: bits of language. And moments. I think there's two big ones, but meh. Decide for yourself. Another random hug... geez, Raize gets more and more insane by the chapter... I think I'll kill her if she turns into a Mary Sue. I live in perpetual dread of that, because I know I'm prone to it.

A/N: Again, I grovel in apology for the wait. This chapter was a monster. With big sharp teeth that tried to bite my head off every time I attempted writing more of it. Forgive me, good people! Be there a scaffold on which to stand in this town? Yeah, we just finished taking our final exam over The Scarlet Letter in AP English. ^.^U Anywho. Read, review if the inspiration strikes you, and please do be honest with me. Enjoy!

9. Surprise Party, Pt. 1

That night, Raize retreated to her own apartment and stayed there. She didn't sleep much, though, feeling strangely closed in and too uneasy to let her guard down. So instead of dancing, pacing, or otherwise tearing up the floor, she drew on the walls. All over them. Words and images flew from her hands like rain from the sky, trying desperately to wash away everything that had stayed buried inside her for so long.

_I am not a killer. I'm not!_

_Coffee plus vanilla equals heaven._

_I never really learned to dance. I just did. Same thing with reading people._

_Kurama's hair – bird wings, not fox fur. Surprise._

_Kuwabara – smarter than he looks, but responds to Hiei's remarks too much._

_Speaking of Hiei – finds safety in his mind; he can look at his memories without flinching. I wish I could._

_Yusuke – punk. He's street-smart and kickass and he knows it. Don't know where he gets his energy. Probably should find out._

_Adian – DAMN HIM._

_I miss Jo._

_Glad I'm alive, but... still wishing I'd gone ahead and killed Aidan? I'M CONFUSED, DAMMIT!_

_'Course then, after I died I'd have had to deal with the blue-haired menace again. She scares me._

_Mom, you ever miss me? What about you, dad? Why'd you dump me here? Just curious._

_The average animal is nicer than the average person. (It's true.)_

_Either I care too much or I don't care enough. Where's the balance?_

… _Wonder if I could be classified as schizophrenic. I certainly feel screwed up enough to be. … Teehee._

_WHERE'S THE JUSTICE? … Said the walnut to the squirrel._

_Stress: is when you wake up screaming, and realize you weren't asleep. (Such a familiar feeling...)_

_Stop pressurin' me, just stop pressurin' me, stop pressurin' me, make me wanna scream!_

There was more, inches upon feet upon yards of thoughts and observations and lyrics from random songs all blurring together. Raize had covered most of her room by the time the sun rose, and when the first flecks of red-gold light began pelting her window, she shut the blinds, blearily dragged herself over to her bed, and was dead asleep in record time.

…

The doorbell woke her up.

"What?" She yelled, grimacing.

No response, except more ringing.

"WHAT? The door's unlocked, dammit! Shut up already!"

Silence.

Raize cracked her eyes open, annoyed, and glanced over at her clock. It was six in the afternoon. "Well would ya lookie there," she grumbled to herself. "I slept twelve hours and didn't wake up once. Guess miracles still happen after all, even if I'm _not_ drunk..."

"SURPRISE!" Yusuke shouted from the doorway to her room, standing there beside Kuwabara with a wide, mischievous grin on his face. There was a bottle of something in his right hand – something dark and suspiciously inviting. Then he noticed the walls. "Damn, crazy lady, what're you _on_?"

"Why do you ask? You want some too?" Raize asked sarcastically, kicking off the sneakers that she'd slept in and peeling off her socks. "'Cause believe me, I've got enough insanity for everybody." She pushed herself to her feet, rubbing her eyes. "So why're you here?"

Yusuke lifted his shoulders in a lazy shrug. "I'm bored. I have the evening off. I figured you get lonely up here sometimes, so here we are."

"Not by choice," Hiei growled. He was standing behind them, out of sight.

Raize's shoulders stiffened. "Yusuke? Kuwabara? Could you move for a second?" She asked, smiling sweetly.

They looked at each other, then back at her, then shrugged and stepped sideways.

The water youkai had learned her lesson the first time, so she was prepared. She picked up the hard-cover book lying on her nightstand and threw it at Hiei's face with a flick of her wrist.

Kurama looked at him in the split second before it hit, unapologetic and making no move to stop the projectile. _You brought this on yourself._

Hiei deflected the book with a brush of one disdainful hand, but he wasn't quick enough to dodge what came behind it.

Raize had filled the room with her energy, so it was impossible to tell, without looking, exactly where she was. She'd followed the book closely, leaping silently across the floor and smacking her open palm against Hiei's forehead, nearly hard enough to knock him backwards. "Then go," she murmured as he rocked back on his feet to keep his balance, then ducked under his fist and spun away, shutting him out. "No one's keeping you here." She yanked open the blinds and opened the window, stepping back so nothing blocked the escape route.

Yusuke blinked. "Yep, you need a drink. Here." He held out the bottle toward her.

"What is it?" Raize popped the cork on it and sniffed it cautiously. It smelled like fire and ice and wilderness, definitely not something found in the human world.

He grinned again. "Just something I found lying around. Thought I'd put it to good use."

She gave him an 'uh-huh, sure' look, turning to hunt for glasses in the kitchen.

Hiei still stood in the doorway – he hadn't moved an inch since she'd told him to go, and he didn't move when she gave him a meaningful glance, either.

"Hiei? Can I please get to my kitchen?"

His eyes were narrowed and fiery, but an indecisive flicker indicated he wasn't sure whether to actually leave or stay – just in case.

The water youkai sighed when he didn't budge. "Really? We're going through this again?"

No answer, only a twitch of the muscle in his jaw.

"Don't make me kiss you again, Hiei, and don't say I won't because you know I will." She folded her arms as the echo of thunder rumbled through her apartment.

Yusuke and Kuwabara's collective jaw dropped. Kurama turned his head away to hide a smirk. Hiei showed absolutely no reaction whatsoever.

"_Damn, _Raize! Okay, you're certifiable now. We need to get you fitted for a straitjacket." Yusuke wasn't sure whether to start laughing or be ready to knock her out.

She turned her head toward him, staring at him through glittering eyes that almost seemed black in the shadows – just like the grin that cracked open her lips again. "Naw, ya think?"

Kuwabara made a face. "Okay, Raize? I know you're angry, but you're starting to get scary. Can you calm down now before it starts raining in here?"

Her eyes flicked over his face, then widened and she ducked her head, hiding behind her hair. The sound of thunder faded away gently and the very atmosphere heaved a sigh of relief. "Well if you're not gonna move, then get me a damn glass, Hiei. Yusuke's right, I need a drink." Her voice was no longer rough and strong, like it usually was. Instead, it sounded frayed, thin, and tired, like a piece of cloth used so much that it has started to tear.

Hiei pulled the bottle from her grip and set it on the kitchen table, then paused. He'd only been in her house twice before and didn't know where anything was.

"Third cabinet from the right of the fridge. Use a chair if you can't reach it, but so help me, I will kill you if you break anything," Raize instructed, but her threats were lifeless. Her chin stayed tucked to her chest, snow-white hair covering her face, shoulders pulled forward. Her hands curled into loose fists at her sides, and for once in her life, she was entirely still.

The _slam _of glasses against the table made her head snap sideways like she'd been slapped.

Kuwabara touched her shoulder, eyebrows scrunched in worry. "Hey. Raize?"

She turned her head toward him, but didn't look up. "I'm sorry."

"Aw, that's okay. I knew you wouldn't lose it," he grinned.

"Did you?" Her legs had started to shake.

"Yeah, I did. I'm psychic – I _know_ these things."

"And yet you _don't_ know when she's about to break right in front of you, idiot. _Move,_" Hiei hissed. He darted forward not a second too soon and blocked Raize's strike – and ended up with her teeth buried in his forearm. When everything was still again, he let out an annoyed sigh and closed his eyes. "Don't bother waiting for us. This may take a few minutes." He shook her free of his arm and swung her over his shoulder, striding back to her room and kicking the door closed behind them.

Raize didn't fight him, not even when he tossed her on her bed roughly. "Were you watching me that whole time? Waiting for me to snap?" She asked flatly.

"I don't trust you." He stood in front of the door, blocking it.

"Thank you, Einstein, we've established that. Why?"

"You haven't given me a reason to think otherwise."

"Not 'why don't you trust me', idiot. I know why that is. Why... no, that's not the right question. _What _happened to you?"

"'What happened to me' when?"

"In the past. What happened? How did you get to be this way? I'm curious."

His dispassionate gaze flicked over her stony face. "Tell me why you broke down."

"Unfair," Raize growled, curling in on her side.

"A question for a question. Seems fair to me."

"Answer for an answer?"

"Maybe."

"Promise me." She glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"No."

"Deal's off then."

He was sitting next to her before she could blink, leaning over her. "Look at me."

Raize let out a harsh bark of laughter. "No," she taunted.

"Don't push me, woman."

"Why not? I'm not afraid of you." She rolled to her back and folded her hands behind her head, closing her eyes.

"Then why won't you look at me?"

"Because I'm just now realizing how much I see the killer I used to be in your eyes. And I _am _afraid of that."

Hiei sat back, blinking incredulously. "_That... _is ridiculous."

"Good to know," she grinned, but it was forced.

"Is that why you tried to bite Kuwabara?"

She shook her head. "No."

"You do know I _will _pry the answer out of you if you refuse to tell me."

"And wade through the absolute _hell _in my head again? Fat chance, pork chop."

"Then make it easier on both of us."

"Is your memory as short as you are? It's only been a month, give or take a few days. They look alike – disturbingly so."

"Does _everything _in your life have to link back to him somehow? Pathetic." His tone rivaled hers, mocking and sarcastic.

Finally her eyes snapped open and she glared straight at him, gritting her teeth to keep herself from flinching back. "You're not me, Hiei. You don't know what he did to those eight youkai. You don't know what he did to me."

The fire youkai caught her chin in an iron grip so she couldn't look away. "Finally."

"Damn you,"Raize snarled. He'd baited her, and she'd taken it – _again – _and he'd gotten her to look at him.

"You never set the rules," Hiei smirked. "So, as you yourself said, 'anything goes'. I win."

"Fine. You win. I'm a loser. So, is it anything like you expected? Is it easier to see me through my eyes than my mind?"

"Yes and no. Your eyes are less chaotic, but more guarded. Your mind is just... insanity – but it has no defenses."

"That may be the first honest answer I've ever gotten from you, Mister Grumpy," Raize grinned cheerfully – or tried to, seeing as how Hiei was still holding onto her chin. "Maybe there's hope for you after all."

"Don't get used to it," he growled, letting her go and pacing to the door. "Now get up."

She rolled over onto her side again. "Why? I'm tired anyway. Just tell them I died or something…"

A smirk pulled dangerously at Hiei's lips. "Let me revise that – get up, before the detective finds you and decides to mutilate your face with a marker in your sleep." Then he disappeared, leaving Raize simultaneously laughing and wondering if he'd actually just made a joke – or if he was really serious.

…

In the kitchen, everyone had a drink of some sort. Yusuke had challenged Hiei to a game, so they were sitting at the table. Kurama leaned against the wall by the window behind Hiei, watching them with a 'why do I put up with these people?' look on his face. Kuwabara was on the opposite side of the room, behind Yusuke, laughing at Kurama's expression.

Raize slipped in quietly and picked up the drink that had been left for her, perching on the counter to watch what happened.

As it turned out, Hiei and Yusuke were evenly matched. Neither even blinked, and the bottle was passing back and forth so fast that it was hard for their audience to keep up.

"That's one big damn bottle," Raize muttered, grinning crookedly. "I'm surprised they haven't run out yet."

Kuwabara turned to grin back, then remembered what had happened earlier. His smile twisted into an uneasy grimace.

Raize ducked her head, hiding the furious blush that crept up her cheeks. _I'm so good at sabotaging myself, _she thought angrily, weaving her fingers together tightly around her glass. _So damn good at it. _

He saw her reaction, however, and opened the backpack she hadn't seen him bring in, pulling out another bottle of the same thing Hiei and Yusuke were drinking. He refilled her glass with a carefully friendly smile. "Um, hey."

"Hey."

"Listen, I'm still suspicious and you probably know it. But I've been hearing what's been going on, and I think I'm starting to get it."

Raize blinked, but she still didn't look up. "Okay. So where's this going?"

"There's still one thing I don't understand. I've seen your scary eyes and I've seen your normal ones, so… which one's really you? Are there actually two people living in your head?"

She laughed, and for once there was actually humor in her voice. "No. Just one screwed-up person. My normal eyes are me. My darker eyes are the 'me' I try to hide – the 'me' I don't want to see. I'm kind of a coward, aren't I?"

Kuwabara didn't laugh back. "I think facing yourself is one of the scariest things you can do. So maybe you're not a coward – maybe you're just like everybody else."

Raize tilted her head, staring shyly at the tall man out of the corner of her eye.

"It's okay if you're not Supergirl, Raize. You don't have to be."

"But I…"

Finally, he grinned. "You're scary, insane, and really confusing sometimes. But isn't everybody? You're not alone. Don't force yourself to be."

She chewed her lip. "But I…" A bitter laugh whispered from her chest. "I've been nothing but cruel to you."

He glanced away from her, shifting uncomfortably. "Eh, I've had worse."

"You told me I don't have to be Supergirl. That means you don't have to be Superman either. I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

Kuwabara's reply was cut off when a bottle slammed down on the table.

Hiei and Yusuke were both still up, staring each other down.

Kurama heaved a sigh as he handed them another bottle. "You're both going to have a hangover unlike any other."

Yusuke grinned. "It's worth it if I beat this punk!"

Hiei just smirked. "Try it."

Raize shook her head. "Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much. Hiei sees Urameshi as a challenge, and Urameshi never fails to take him up on it. They're good friends, though, don't get me wrong."

"You four are all really close, aren't you?"

"We have our good days, I guess."

"I envy that."

"Huh?"

"Having a close-knit group of friends like that. Being able to trust them to watch your back."

"I don't wanna bring up things I shouldn't, but… weren't you close to the other eight?"

Raize narrowed her eyes. "Another thing I envy – knowing what's going on inside the rest of the group's collective head."

"Kurama and Hiei filled us in."

"I see. And to answer your question, I was close to a few of the eight. But we never really stuck together, y'know? Maybe that was why we – they, sorry – died. And it didn't help anything that I was the insane one of the nine. I was too volatile to be any good to anyone."

"I don't think it's fair to judge how much you're worth by what you can do," Kuwabara mumbled, folding his arms. "I should know."

Raize stared at him. "What?"

"I'm a human in a group of youkai, Raize. It doesn't matter that I'm psychic or that I have a kickass sword made of spirit energy. I'll always be the weakest link."

She frowned disapprovingly, then hopped off the counter and hugged him like she'd hugged Kurama the day before, squeezing him until he squeaked. "I don't think so. I think your kindness is your strength – you came up and talked to me after I tried to bite your head off. That takes guts, and I won't forget it."


	11. Surprise Party, Pt 2

Disclaimer: I own my brain and everything in it. This does not include YYH. Unfortunately. I'm still running from Hiei. ^.^U Yeah, he's mad. I think he's torturing me, 'cause seriously, it's not like I can outrun him...

Warnings: language, awkward situations, and COMPLETE AND TOTAL INSANITY.

A/N: … I am gonna get murdered for this. Eheh. Don't hurt me?

…

Surprise Party, Pt. 2

Raize's eyes fluttered open, awakening from another spell of dreamless sleep. After realizing she had a headache from hell, she noticed that she couldn't move. "What in the sacrilegious hell...?" She shifted and squirmed, or tried to. She was tied up. In her bed. Next to someone. She squeaked. "Holy shit. Awkward." More precisely, she was tied up back-to-back with someone, and the same rope wound around them enough times to contain even the most clever five-year-old.

Needless to say, the person she was tied up with wasn't too happy about it, either.

Raize panicked when she saw a flash of black hair as the other person twisted his head. "H... Hiei?" _Please tell me that is NOT Hiei back there!_

"Isn't _this _interesting," he said flatly.

"Interesting? _Interesting? _ How the _hell _did this happen?"

"Looks like someone wasn't as _thought_ as we _drunk_ they were."

"Looks like someone else _was. _Who won the drinking game?"

"Tie," he grumbled. "Can't burn through the damn rope."

"Too hungover?"

"Most likely."

"Geez, I didn't think you even had a _limit. _You must've practically _drowned _yourself if you drank so much that you can't even burn it off."

"Don't remind me."

"There's a way out of this. Where's the others, do you know?"

"Next room over... they're awake. Shit. Kitsune was right."

Raize vaguely remembered something Kurama had said about Hiei and Yusuke drinking so much that they'd have hangovers unlike any other. Then she blinked as her memory carried her straight up to a revelation. "I bet I know how this happened."

"Do tell."

"Kuwabara's human. He wouldn't be able to take youkai alcohol, right? So that gives him an excuse not to drink anything. He probably waited until we passed out and then tied us up. That's... disturbing, even for a joke." Her face burned.

"Agreed."

"Okay, now I _know _you're hungover. The sober Hiei does not agree with me – it's a cosmic law. Can you sit up?"

"With or without falling over again?"

"With, of course," she grumbled sarcastically. "No, without! I'm gonna test a theory."

They sat up awkwardly, facing the full-length mirror that sat across from the bed.

And it was no coincidence that they heard a snicker from the other room.

There were black marks all over their faces, some random, some words. Both had 'chibi' written in big block letters across their foreheads, and had they put their cheeks next to each other, the two upside-down raindrops drawn on their skin would've made a heart.

"Naturally..." Raize groaned. "Hey, Hiei?"

"What?" His eyes flashed murderously as he glared at the mirror.

"Regarding the fate of the oh-so-sweet people who apparently think we're cute... Texas chainsaw massacre... or flamethrower accident?"

"Flamethrower accident. Untie me."

…

"... So me and Hiei went on a rampage and killed Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara, and that's why there's all this red sticky crap all over the floor," Raize explained cheerfully to Keiko as she mopped the floor in the kitchen.

The girl's jaw dropped and she edged toward the door, eyes wide. "You... are... deranged..."

Raize tried to hide a snicker and failed miserably. She threw her head back and laughed for three minutes straight, then leaned on her mop, reduced to hiccuping giggles. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Mercy! I'm kidding!" She gasped, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "It's just cherry jelly. Don't ask me _how, _but the jar shattered and it got all over. The guys are fine. They're locked in the hallway closet."

"_Why?"_

"Oh, no reason. Just thought it would be funny. Waking up in bed tied back-to-back with a grumpy fire youkai has that effect on my sense of humor."

Keiko laughed, still a little nervous. She'd stopped moving, but still looked ready to bolt for the door at any minute.

"Take it easy, Keiko. I have to have _something _to make up for my height, and it just so happens to be insanity." The tiny youkai reached into her pocket and tossed Keiko a small key, which was attached to an empty key ring, save a plain house key. "I suppose you can go let them out. They've been in there for about an hour and I'm sure they're getting antsy," she grinned.

Five minutes later, Raize had at least four new bumps on her head and had found a new use for her mop. "Guys! I swear, you're gonna give me brain damage!" She complained, smacking Yusuke one last time in the face. "My head hurts enough already!"

Hiei sat on the windowsill watching, an infuriating smirk plastered on his mouth.

Kurama shot a hairband at him. _Wipe that smirk off your face. You look like an idiot too, _he grinned.

Kuwabara snickered. "There's still marker on your face."

"Hey, that is _not _my fault," she muttered, planting her hands on her hips. "It's _Sharpie._ It's _permanent."_

Yusuke ruffled her hair. "You brought it on yourself, crazy lady. Well, I guess you and Keiko have met."

Raize grinned up at him. "Yup. The one and only person you are truly afraid of. Seems pretty harmless to me."

He winced. "Hey, no judging until she slaps you. _Then _we'll see how brave you are."

"Yusuke, it's time to go," Keiko smiled, handing Raize's keys back to her. "Nice meeting you, Raize."

"Aw, spare me," Raize laughed. "You think I'm on something. Nah, it's me who should be saying 'nice to meet you'. Watch out for Urameshi, right? Don't let him bail on you." She winked as they walked out the door, then shook her head and went back to mopping the kitchen. "How about that, then? The infamous Yusuke Urameshi has a girlfriend just as tough as he is."

"You read her when she walked down the hallway, didn't you?" Kurama asked, catching the hairband Hiei shot back at him with two fingers just before it bit into his cheek.

"Yup." Raize tossed him a rag soaked in warm water. "Can you wipe down the counter? This stuff got _everywhere. _How'd that happen, anyway?"

Kurama and Kuwabara looked at each other. "No idea," they said in unison.

She sighed. "It's not like it could be any worse than _your _prank. Spill it."

"Well, to make a long story short, Yusuke got hungry and decided to go through the refrigerator. Hiei made one of his smart comments, and Yusuke threw the jar at him. It missed, of course, and... this is what happened," Kurama explained, gesturing to the sticky red mess.

"Damn," Raize snickered. "You just have a knack for getting on people's nerves, don't you, Hiei?"

The fire youkai snorted contemptuously in response.

She grinned. "That would be a yes."

…

When the remnants of the surprise party were finally cleared away, Raize ventured outside. Her suddenly-empty apartment didn't feel safe anymore, not even with all the doors and windows closed and locked. So she sought solace in the woods again, taking her iPod with her, as usual. Only something didn't feel right.

She stopped where she was and turned completely around twice. Shoes? Check. Pendant? Check. Ipod? Check. Jumpsuit? Tank top? Brain? There was some speculation about the last one, but everything seemed intact. _So why am I so uneasy out here? _She frowned, lifting her head to peer suspiciously at the sky. Then it hit her and she covered her mouth with one hand, as if to stifle a sound that never came. The woods were silent. Completely silent. As if the whole world had turned its back on the place and left it to die.

Raize's hands began to shake as a chill wind whistled through the trees. She turned around again, taking note of where she was. She'd wandered into a small clearing, full of dead leaves and strange, unearthly shadows. Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists tight, folding her arms. "I'm not afraid of you," she snarled. "I won't let you get inside my head like this." She strode forward quietly, staying light on the blanket of brown leaves that quivered and shifted in the wind. In mid-step, however, her foot caught on something and she tripped, rolling to the ground. "I won't let you scare me," she murmured. "I won't." She turned to look at what she'd tripped over, then scrambled backward, not even aware of the high-pitched, keening whine coming from her mouth. "No. Oh, no."

"_Raize, sugar? I'll be out for a few hours, okay?" The tall, gypsy-looking woman called softly, pulling her long, wavy black hair back out of her ice-blue eyes. She was American, a youkai that had taken on a relatively human form, except for her slightly large hands and feet._

"_Going where? If Aidan finds out, he'll –" Raize poked her head around the doorway, peering curiously at her friend's face in the bathroom mirror._

_Josephine shushed Raize by covering her mouth with one large hand. "Aidan doesn't have to know."_

"_But I –" The water youkai's voice was muffled._

"_Just a few hours, sweetie. You won't be alone; Eden is still here. She'll protect you. Trust her."_

"_But Naomi's gone, Jo! Ed's never been the same since!"_

"_Raize, honey." Josephine knelt down to look her in the eyes. "This is something I have to do. Please don't make it any harder than it has to be."_

_Raize hid in the back corner of the closet, shivering. Ramah had disappeared yesterday; was Jo going out to find her? Would she promise to find Naomi and bring her home too? What was happening to her friends?_

_Three hours later, Jo came back, eyes red from unseen tears. She sniffled as she loosened the band around her hair and let it fall free over her shoulders again, slumping onto her narrow bed dejectedly._

_Raize stole out of the closet and leaped up beside the taller girl, leaning against her side. "I guess you didn't find Ramah, huh?"_

"_Didn't find...?"_

"_Weren't you out looking for the ones who ran away?"_

_Jo's lower lip trembled. "No, sweetie, I wasn't." She took a deep, shaky breath. "I was burying Ramah. She's dead."_

The tremors tearing through Raize's body shook her violently where she lay, curled up against the trunk of a tree with her hands over her ears. Shadows crept across the edges of her eyes until she was completely blind, and in one last resort to keep herself conscious, she howled out the name written on the gravestone she'd tripped over.

"_RAMAH!"_


	12. Karma Coma

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH. I do own Raize and the other eight, and Aidan, who hasn't been around lately but will be soon. Don't worry. He hasn't gone off and died yet.

Warnings: I'm not even sure if there's that much language in this one. Although there are awkward situations. There are also parts that will make you want to hate one or more characters. Just sayin'.

A/N: Does anyone besides Chocolate even read this? Message me if you do; I'm curious. This took a long time to write. I was busy fighting off zombies at school. But don't worry; I had a flamethrower with me. :]

...

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HALLWAY CLOSET...

Yusuke: Well this is awkward.

Kurama: Indeed.

Kuwabara: Hey guys? It smells funny in here.

Yusuke: I think that's just you, Kuwabara. *snickers*

Kurama: *sigh*

Yusuke: Told you we shoulda hid at my place. They'd never have found us.

Kurama: Says the person who _insisted _on wanting to see their reactions...

Kuwabara: *hits Yusuke* Yeah, Urameshi, _you _wanted to see the look on their faces!

Yusuke: Yeah, but with a _camera! _I'm not _that _stupid. *hits Kuwabara back*

Kurama: Excuse me? That must be _exactly _why they locked us in here. Because you weren't 'that stupid'.

Yusuke: Hey, you can't claim innocence either, Kurama. You laughed too when Kuwabara drew on their faces.

Kurama: True. But tying them up... was ridiculous.

Yusuke/Kuwabara: *snickering uncontrollably*

Yusuke: Aw, come on! That was the best part!

Kurama: In _bed? _That would even embarrass _me._

Yusuke: … Why do I doubt that?

Kurama: … *smacks Yusuke's head into the door* Another word and your head is going through this door.

Yusuke: *squeak*

Kuwabara: *laughing too hard to talk*

And this is why, when Keiko opened the door, Yusuke fell out at her feet and ended up with a nice view up her skirt, which she slapped him for. It is also why Kurama and Kuwabara sat there laughing for a few minutes before they came out of the closet. And why Raize gave them a strange look when they walked into the kitchen, because they were both a little bit flustered and red in the face. Resulting in a nice addition to the collection of bumps on her head.

…

11. Karma Coma

…

_The full moon rose high in the sky that night, casting a cold, pale glow on the woods. Under the grasping limbs of creaking trees, a shadow flew on silent feet, so fast it was barely visible. The echo of a once-strong voice reverberated through the shadow's unearthly form, an anchor that it followed like a moth drawn to a flame._

_I'll find him, the shadow whispered to no one. I'll kill him._

Raize's eyes opened slowly. She felt heavy and sluggish, like she'd been drugged. "Uhm?" She was lying on a narrow bed, one of four in a row on one side of a large room. A window behind her poured in the golden light of the afternoon sun, lazy and carefree. Around her was a chaotic mess of clothes, trinkets, books, pencils, and other completely random objects, strewn throughout the whole room in various degrees of disorder. It was so familiar, yet so forgotten that she didn't recognize it at first.

"Hey, sexy!" A rough, warm voice greeted her.

That got her attention. Only one person in her entire life ever called her 'sexy', and that was only as a joke. Raize bolted upright. "Holy –"

"Jo, she's awake! That was a damn scary fall you took, honey."

"Fall...?" Raize held her head in her hands. "But... but you..." She stared at her present company in awe. Auburn hair fell short and scruffy over a freckled, deeply tanned face. Hazel eyes twinkled with an always-present laughter beneath dark, expressive eyebrows – which were currently scrunched down in confusion.

"Raize? You okay? Is there something on my face?"

"Eden?" Raize whispered, reaching out hesitantly. Her fingers brushed against the other youkai's cheek, which was warm and very much alive. "You're _real."_

"Duh, honey?" Eden grinned. "You been asleep for about four days. How ya feelin'?"

"I... uh, strange," Raize answered, smiling uneasily. "Really strange."

"Hey, sleeping beauty!" Another girl stood in the doorway – or rather, lounged in it like she was the queen. A wide, toothy grin stretched across her feline face, all sharp angles and delicately fierce features. Kinky gold hair shot through with a shade of hot pink that could only be artificial tumbled over her slim, lithe shoulders, drifting over eyes as blue as the ocean on a summer day. Raize knew without looking that the pupils in those eyes were slitted, like cat's eyes. The new arrival's ears, which were perched atop her head in agreement with the rest of her feline nature, swiveled forward when Raize spoke her name.

"Naomi?" The water youkai's jaw dropped. Naomi had been the first of the nine to die. _What...?_

Naomi grinned wider as she sauntered in, swinging her hips. "The one and only. How are ya, baby? Ed, you been taking care of her?"

"I'm... confused," Raize murmured.

"Well, with a bump like _that _on your head, I'm not surprised!" The cat-like youkai hip-checked Ed and kissed Raize's forehead like she'd never been gone a day. "Welcome back, Your Shrimpness."

_The shadow found her curled up against the trunk of a tree, out cold. Her face was chalky white, and for the first time, he noticed the dark purple circles etched like bruises under her closed eyes._

_I'll kill him, the shadow whispered again, like a mantra. I'll kill him. I'll kill him. I'll kill him. _

_There was space between his words, though, as if he was listening for another sentence that was never repeated outside of his own thoughts. _

_I'll kill him _for what he did to you. _I'll kill him _for what he did to you. _I'll kill him _for what he did to you. _I'll kill him _for making you afraid of yourself_._

_He nudged her side with his toe, as if to wake her, but her eyelids didn't even flutter. So he pried her eyes open, and hissed at what he saw._

_Her pupils had dilated until her whole eye was black. But that wasn't what had pulled the hiss from the shadow's throat. It was the emptiness in her eyes. Not as if she were asleep... as if she were dead._

_He swung her over his shoulder carefully, but not carefully enough. His fingers brushed her brand again, and that was when she flew into life. _

_Raize vaulted over his head, grabbed his collar, and slammed him against a tree, black eyes wide, teeth bared in a ghoulish grin. "Help me," she whispered roughly, knuckles white and tense. "PLEASE! HELP ME!" Then she froze, laughing hysterically in the dark, until suddenly her voice cut off mid-breath and she slumped to the ground again, lifeless as a corpse._

_He stood still, staring at nothing. "What makes you think I know how?"_

Raize got up and looked around. They were all there with her, even Rachel – the one who seemed to think she was better than everyone else. The water youkai reached up to ruffle her hair, then stopped with a squeak – it was long again, falling heavily down her back in a thick white braid. "Well then, this is different." After she'd escaped from Aidan, she'd cut it short because it was stained with his blood and wouldn't wash out.

"What's different? It's not like we've gone anywhere or anything. We've all sat here and babied you for the past four days while you were asleep like a wimp," Thani snapped. She was an imposing figure, not as tall as Jo, but substantially scarier, with a chip on her shoulder the size of the entire Asian continent. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're the one that's different. But – oh yeah – that's nothing special, is it, since you're just flat-out insane."

Raize snarled at her, holding up one hand when Jo looked up to intervene. "Thani, if you have that much of a problem with me, then come here and let's solve it."

Ed and Naomi grinned at each other, chanting "fight, fight, fight" under their collective breath.

Jaqueline and Cheyanne moved out of the way, retreating to their beds after sharing a cautious glance. Their tiny deer-like horns poked out from their long, ropy leaf-green hair, twitching as they sensed the tense atmosphere. Jaqueline was the older and taller of the two, but otherwise they looked like twins.

Rachel, who lounged in the doorway not quite as gracefully as Naomi had, gave a disdainful snort and folded her arms, tapping her black claws against her white skin and tossing her ice-blue hair over one shoulder. "So she actually _does _have a spine. What a shock." Her quicksilver voice grated on Raize's nerves.

The tiny youkai grinned darkly, smoothing her hands down her back. "Damn right I do. Like it?"

Ramah snickered behind her curtain of black hair, equally black eyes glittering strangely.

Jo stood up, exuding calm. "Raize, Thani, back off. Wreck this room and I will have both your heads."

"Outside?" Raize queried cheerfully. "There's less to destroy out there."

So outside was where they went. The skies were gray and murky, heavy with smoke oozing from the nearby volcano. The ground was black and rocky, desolate as far the eye could see. Cut into the side of the mountain was the dwelling all nine youkai had just left, two to fight and the others to make sure they didn't kill each other.

Thani crouched low, digging her coal black converses into the ground. She pulled leather gloves over her hands – gloves that hid metal studs in the knuckles and a sheet of steel across the top.

Raize smirked and turned her back on the other youkai. "Go ahead. I'm not afraid of you."

Thani snarled, dark violet eyes flashing murderously. "Turn around, midget! Face me!"

Raize laughed, low and harsh. "Listen up and listen good, Thani – I learned this lesson the hard way from a friend of mine. When an opponent turns their back on you, it means you're not worth seeing their eyes."

Thani shrieked fury to the sky and launched herself at Raize's back. She was fast, really fast, but Raize knew her. She only fought because she was angry all the time. She was good, but she didn't think about where she was going and usually ended up sabotaging herself, if her opponent was simply patient enough.

Raize turned at the last instant and smacked Thani's fist away from her face, hitting the other girl square in the chest with her other open hand.

Thani hissed, shaking her spiky midnight-blue hair out of her eyes as she leaped back. "And what 'friend' was that?"

Raize laughed again, no less harsh. "Don't worry, he's not someone you know."

They clashed and broke apart again and again, and at first, Raize stayed strangely calm, almost emotionless. Her eyes soon began to darken, though, and her movements became more feral and violent.

Then Thani made one wrong step. She threw her bony shoulder into Raize's side, losing her balance just long enough for the tiny youkai to yank her down to the ground and step on her back, pinning her.

"Give up, Thani."

"Go to hell," she growled.

"Give up or I'll break your shoulder." Raize pulled Thani's arm over her shoulder and leaned all her weight on the other youkai's spine.

"GO TO HELL!"

"GIVE UP!"

Thani screamed when Raize twisted her wrist. "NO!"

"You're breaking, I can hear you," she whispered, switching tactics. "All you have to do is give up and I'll let you go."

"Ruthless bitch!"

"That's me."

They were tense and quiet for one terrifying moment, neither budging an inch. Then, finally, Thani laid her forehead on the ground with a sigh of defeat. "Fine. I give. Let me up."

Raize let her go and stepped back. She didn't smile, not even with her eyes. "Good choice."

Ramah stared at her from the sidelines, unblinking. "What happened to you?" She whispered, so quietly that Raize barely heard her.

She didn't answer.

_Hiei stood against the wall by the window in Raize's room, still as a statue. His eyes were closed, but no doubt he knew what was going on._

"_It's been two days, Hiei," Kurama murmured. He sat on the edge of her bed beside her, chin in one hand. "I think she's in a coma."_

"_I see."_

"_She told you to help her?"_

"_She begged me to." His eyes flicked open finally, dark and pensive._

"_Why don't you?"_

_The fire youkai spun to face the window. He was angry – Kurama saw it in the set of his shoulders and the charged, fiery energy radiating off his skin._

_But then his forehead fell against the glass and his shoulders slumped, exhausted to the core. He felt like he hadn't slept in ages, and yet he knew he wouldn't sleep for very long if he tried anyway. _

_She didn't have the right to ask for his help. She didn't have the right to give him that responsibility. Her audacity made him want to light things on fire. And it wasn't even the fact that she had the guts to assume he would – it was the way she'd done it._

"Help me. PLEASE! HELP ME!"

_Not asked. Begged. Cried, like she was being tortured. Like he was her only lifeline anymore. The notion made him sick. There was that responsibility again – he didn't like the idea of being bound to someone, trusted to help them. There were too many ways that could get complicated. He didn't mind Kurama because the fox could damn well take care of himself. But Raize seemed to _need _him. That made his stomach turn – and not in the warm fuzzy way._

"_Hiei?"_

"_It's not my problem. I didn't ask for this."_

"_Hiei, Raize asked you for help. That is the equivalent of a normal person getting down on their knees and crying at your feet – you know how she hates thinking that she needs help. It makes her feel weak. So this isn't your everyday request – it's deeper than that and you know it."_

"_She confuses me, fox. I don't know who I am around her."_

_Kurama's eyes froze into chips of ice. "Excuses, excuses. You know exactly who you are around her. But it scares the hell out of you, so you hide from it."_

_Hiei snarled at him, but otherwise didn't reply._

"_Nothing to say? So that means you agree?" Kurama folded his arms, unapologetic. "Should I keep talking until you either stop me or leave? One way or another, I will find out why you're refusing to do this."_

"_I don't know how to help her, even if I did decide to, for some strange reason!" The fire youkai spat harshly. "Now shut up and calm down. You're making my head hurt."_

_Kurama stared at him. "You don't know how? That's it?"_

"_What am I supposed to do, talk to her through that screwed up skull of hers? I've tried. She won't listen. It's like she's dead inside, which is a welcome change from how she was."_

"_You said she opened her eyes when you touched her brand, right?"_

_Hiei shook his head. "It won't work twice. Tried that too."_

_Kurama stood and started to pace, back and forth over the footprints Raize had painted on the floor. "Let's say you're partially right, then, and she is 'dead inside' – or at least, in a different place. Maybe she woke up here because she wasn't fully conscious there?"_

"_Does she keep Aspirin in here?" Hiei grumbled, rubbing his temples._

_Kurama tossed him a bottle lying on Raize's nightstand. "I'll make a deal with you."_

"_Does it involve setting something on fire? That sounds appealing right now."_

_The fox laughed. "Stay with her tonight, and I'll keep it a secret. I have a theory I want to test."_

Raize stared at her reflection in the mirror as she stood in the bathroom, wondering where the dark circles under her eyes had come from. She ignored the shadows creeping across those eyes, ignored the fact that her mind had started to slip ever since she'd tripped over Ramah's grave. Her only thought was of survival; it didn't matter what condition she was in.

It was dark outside; she could almost see the stars through the window in the other room. The dim light glinted off the silvery blade of a knife she'd taken from Naomi's belt. She brought it high, staring at it in an almost-trance. It was frighteningly beautiful and warm to the touch, alive and real by its own accord.

A sharp breath pricked the air when she put it to use, slicing off her thick, long braid.

Raize turned, eyes narrowed and cold. She wanted to be alone; couldn't they feel that?

Jo stood behind her in the doorway, eyes wide in shock. "Raize... who are you? What happened?" She asked gently.

Raize dropped her hair at the other youkai's feet and brushed past her. "I watched you die. I watched everyone die. It changes a person."

…

Outside, the tiny girl stood in the open to watch the dusty sunset, shivering a little but not conscious enough to care. Her eyes hurt, like she was about to cry, but no tears fell down her cheeks. They'd been absorbed by the shadows lurking in her irises.

A hand on her shoulder woke her out of her reverie and she brushed it off.

Ramah wasn't deterred in the slightest. She wrapped her pale, skinny arms around Raize and held on tight, head pressing into her neck. The thirteen piercings in her left ear were cold against Raize's skin, but she didn't move to fight Ramah away. The other girl was never affectionate with anyone else, and Raize didn't want to take what she had away.

"You're not here," she whispered in her strangely terrifying voice. Ramah was sensitive to sound; she had the best ears of the whole group. But her own voice scared her, so she very rarely spoke louder than a whisper. She'd told Raize once that her voice was not actually hers – it had been given to her by another youkai in return for her sharp ears. A blessing and a curse.

"Why do you say that? You're holding on to me right now." Raize traced the self-inflicted scars on Ramah's arms with a twinge of sadness. Nothing could make her stop cutting, not even Jo. She never hid it and she was never ashamed of it – it was just something she did.

"You're not here," she repeated. "You're here, but you're not."

"Then where am I, Rah?" Raize sighed, laying her cheek against the top of Ramah's head. "Where did I go?"

"You're with _him," _the other girl answered, like gossip repeated between two friends.

"With who?"

"That friend you told Thani about. He's calling for you, even now. Can't you hear him?"

Raize laughed bitterly. "Hiei? Calling for me? Get your ears checked, Rah."

"That was an insult."

"I guess so."

Ramah reached up and closed Raize's eyes gently. "You're not seeing. Those shadows… they're blinding you. Go to sleep, Raize. Sleep here and awake where you belong."

_Raize's black eyes fluttered open – she was looking at her own ceiling again._

_Hiei sat in the windowsill, staring outside, aloof and untouchable. There was almost a tangible wall surrounding him, and for some odd reason, the feeling made Raize want to hit him._

"_Hey," she said, or tried to. All that came out was a dry, cracked whisper._

"_You're awake." He didn't turn around._

"_Yes… and no," she replied hesitantly. "Awake here. Asleep there."_

"_There?"_

"_Back at the volcano… with the other eight."_

"_I see."_

"_I don't. Why are you here? Why did you call me back?"_

"_You'll die if you stay there. Our job is to keep you alive."_

_Raize hissed. "And what if I don't want to be? What if I want to die here?"_

"_Suicide?" He scoffed. "A coward's way out."_

"_Hiei, they're _alive. _All eight… they're alive, and Aidan's gone. What if I can make that my reality?"_

"_Open your eyes, you idiot. You can't go back to the past, no matter how hard you try."_

_Raize snarled at him. "Don't you ever get tired of calling me an idiot? Hating me like you do? Why can't you just let me dream this, just once? Why can't you quit waking me up?"_

_He did turn then, red eyes shooting angry sparks. "So you really don't remember."_

"_Remember what?" She scowled._

_He didn't answer, just shook his head with a bitter, sardonic smile._

"_Hiei. Remember _what?"

_Silence._

"_Please tell me? Please stop being so quiet; what was I supposed to remember?"_

"_You didn't have the right to ask for my help then and you don't have it now," he snarled. "I'm not responsible for you. Save yourself – I'm not going to." Then he slammed the window open and disappeared, leaving her cold and alone._

_But for once, Raize didn't lie there like a helpless little girl. She didn't let him go. She ran after him._

_Her legs shook and she stumbled constantly, but she didn't give up, following the shadowy figure's brisk steps._

"_Hiei!" She called. "Hey!" Her energy was weak, but it was there. She drew it inward, then hurled it out like a stone, pelting the back of the fire youkai's head._

_He stopped mid-step._

_She felt black flames lash out at her, beating her back, warning her – but she refused to leave, leaning against the side of a building to keep herself upright. "Tell me what I did. Tell me how I hurt you and don't say I didn't. I crossed a line and it was obvious, but I honestly don't remember what happened. I need to know!"_

_The sound he made was somewhere between a growl and a sigh. "Stupid girl. Why?"_

"_When I go back… asleep, or wherever it is… I won't remember anything that's happened here. Ramah told me so just before I woke up. So whatever it is, now's the time to get it off your chest."_

_For a second, he stood frozen – still, but not calm. Anything but calm. It almost seemed like he was about to laugh. But then he whirled toward her and looked down at her as she slipped to the ground, losing her grip on the wall. He crouched in front of her and folded his arms, like he wasn't even aware of the nightmarish firestorm in his eyes. "You ask for my help – BEG for my help – and then you tell me you want to die. You are so ready to throw your life away, trying to go back to the past, when you don't even realize what you have right here, right now! You're selfish because you're a coward, you're manipulative, you're cruel, and you turn your back when people are practically screaming at you to _see _them. And then you go on like you have no idea how you're acting, and expect us to be perfectly fine with it! But that's not the worst. Oh, no. You make me _sick, _woman. And do you know why? Because when I met you in the brat's office that day, I thought you were better than that and you proved me wrong. I don't like being wrong." Every word was venom, every syllable ground out through clenched teeth._

"_Hiei?" Raize murmured as her eyelids began to fall shut again. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Then she was gone again, pulled back into her dream world without so much as a goodbye._

_Hiei turned his back on her and walked away._


	13. Waking The Demon

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Raize, Aidan, and the other eight. And my brain. Maybe. Not so sure anymore.

Warnings: Language on this one… didn't even bother to blank it out, 'cause it would've destroyed the effect… prolly some OOCness. You decide.

A/N: Rah-eez-eh? Rie-zeh? Meh, whatever. The reason this one took so long is because I rewrote it. Four times. And I still hate it. I can't make it sound right. On the bright side, I saved myself a haircut because I ripped it all out of my head. Let me know what you think.

…

12. Waking the Demon

"Raize? Raize, wake up. It's time."

The whispered, almost snake-like voice brought Raize out of the darkness again. Her head felt foggy and heavy, but as far as she knew, she hadn't dreamed at all while she was asleep.

"Time for what? What's going on?" She grumbled, rubbing her still-dark eyes.

Ramah stared hard at her, almost looking through her face instead of at it. "You saw him... but something's wrong, isn't it? Something happened."

"Huh? Saw who? I didn't see..." The tiny girl scowled. "What are you _on, _Rah?"

"That friend of yours... you saw him and something went wrong. No interference from... no, that's not it. What happened?" The thirteen piercings in Ramah's ear clanked together softly as she paced, talking to herself.

It was then that Raize realized where she was. "Aidan's cave? Ramah, why are we here?" She asked uneasily, pushing herself to her feet from the rocky floor. Her voice echoed around the huge room, shattering against the uneven black walls and filtering back into something completely unrecognizable. Suddenly she realized why Ramah was scared of her own voice – she would be too, if it sounded so alien all the time.

Ramah didn't answer immediately, turning her back on the other youkai and spreading her arms wide like she was about to grow wings and fly away. "Here's where it's easiest for you to reach him. Here is where the past meets the present."

_Hiei's feet made no sound against the damp leaves dusting the ground in the woods. He was, as always, silent and wraith-like as he walked. Only this time he was so angry he could've blown up everything within a half-mile radius of himself._

_After all the trouble he'd gone through to find Raize's erratic energy signature and go rescue her sorry ass, she'd gone into a coma and then flat-out told him she wanted to die._

_He punched a tree. His fist buried itself deep in the plant's pale bark, creating a smoldering hole that was almost as big as his head – and that was only because he'd held back. "Stupid woman," he snarled, burning through the trunk of the tree and sending it crashing to the ground._

"_Hiei-san?"_

_The fire youkai froze where he stood, eyes wide._

_Yukina walked toward him calmly, head tilted just the slightest bit, silky hair fluttering across her face gently. "Hiei-san?" She repeated. "What's going on?"_

_He forced himself to relax, letting out a heavy sigh. "Nothing."_

"_That tree was something. What's wrong?"_

_A tiny, sardonic smile curled at the edge of his mouth as he turned away and shoved his hands in his pockets, about to retrace his steps back into the city and give up on trying to be alone. "Nothing. I'm fine."_

_Yukina's slim, delicate hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Hiei-san. May I make a cup of coffee for you in apology? It's quiet at the temple right now, if you simply need a place to think."_

_Sometimes he wondered if she was psychic and just hadn't told anyone. Another sigh escaped him – coffee sounded good. "Sure. But no more apologies."_

_She smiled. "Of course."_

Raize felt claustrophobic. She kept wondering what was wrong with her and came up with too many possibilities to count – which was what she'd been attempting to do ever since she'd woken up to Ramah's voice in Aidan's cave. And although it had been several hours since then, the murky sky showed barely any change.

Under that sky, she'd tried to dance, or at least move around enough to work the tension out of her body – but it felt awkward, like there was a wall around her, and every step she took seemed out of place. Finally, stubbornly, she sat down and glared at her feet, folding her arms. "This is not gonna work."

"What's not gonna work?" Naomi plopped down beside her and sprawled across her lap, lacing her long fingers behind her head. "You look depressed, child."

"Do I?"

"Yup. Ed agrees. We think you need an intervention."

Raize shifted her glare from her feet to the feline youkai's face. "Should I give you time to write your will, or just kill you?"

"Whoa there, spike. No need to talk blood and guts _just _yet," Naomi grinned. "We're planning a Mau tournament. If your pretty little heart's set on armageddon, then go on and roll some heads, but play a few hands first – game's no fun with dead bodies."

Raize almost laughed. The lazy, convoluted way Naomi talked was like music to her ears – strange music, but music in any case. Just trying to figure out what she'd said was a challenge in itself. "Sure, sure. That's later, though, isn't it?"

"Yup. It's gonna be an all-night thing. Why, you got other plans that don't involve us? I think my ego's just been wounded," she pouted.

"Noms, it would take a _bulldozer _to wound your ego." The water youkai snickered – then her hand flew to her mouth. It had been a long time since she'd made a sound like that; the noise made her feel a bit more like herself.

"Oh, but there's where you're wrong, my lovely little day lily. On the inside, I'm actually a very sensitive and delicate creature," Naomi snickered back, poking Raize in the stomach.

"I'm so sure!" Raize barked gleefully.

"There you go, hurting my poor wilted ego again!"

"Mercy, Noms! Mercy!" She laughed. "I was just gonna ask if you and Ed wanted to train later or something. Dancing doesn't feel right anymore and I need to get my ass moving."

Naomi frowned. "Well, me an' Ed are definitely the ones to ask, if you want a moving ass. But honey, you've always been a dancer. Why doesn't it feel right?"

Raize bit her perpetually chapped bottom lip thoughtfully. "I don't know. I mean, I can still do the motions, but it just... feels awkward."

The feline youkai sat up, folding her legs into the lotus position. "Okay. Show me a butterfly kick."

"Um. Right now?"

"Um. Why not?" Naomi's ears flicked sideways as her face rearranged itself into a sarcastic expression.

"Oo-kay then." Raize rolled to her feet, backed up a few steps, then threw herself into the air, whirling counterclockwise into a graceless butterfly kick that ended with her knees buckling. She folded to the ground again, chin tucked to her chest dejectedly. "See? I can't do it."

"Well, you _can, _but I do see what you mean. Compared to your normal 'hey check this out, I'm boneless' grace, that was particularly robotic. And you have no idea why you feel like that?"

"Nope. I feel like I'm here, but I'm _not, _y'know? I'm taking up space but I don't belong here, and that's why it's so awkward."

Naomi's eyes clouded over. "We gotta talk, Rai."

"Noms, we are talking._"_

"No, like... really talk. Come on."

_Kurama dropped his backpack in his room and trotted back down the stairs, a pensive frown on his face. He'd just come home from school and hadn't seen any sign of Hiei anywhere – even though he was sure the fire youkai would want to be out of Raize's apartment as soon as possible. He left a carefully obscure note on the door, telling his mother he was out for a walk and nothing more. Then he was outside, mind conjuring up various scenarios that fit the situation. Hiei could've fallen asleep, but that was unlikely. Raize could have woken up – also unlikely. They could've killed each other... no, that was definitely unfeasible. More likely, Hiei killed Raize and ran off. But even that theory didn't make sense; if he'd killed her, he wouldn't run off. He probably wouldn't bat an eyelash, and he'd have a reason. That was just the way he was._

_The redhead was so lost in thought that he nearly tripped over her. He looked down and blinked incredulously. Out of all the things he'd expected, this was last on the list._

_She was sprawled against a building in a position that would make a contortionist cringe, one leg stretched out and one curled under her, arms trapped against her body, which was twisted halfway up, halfway toward the ground. Her skin was white and blue from the cold, but a tiny smile rested on her face, like she'd heard something she needed to hear, even if it wasn't sweet or comforting._

_Kurama bent and swung her up into his arms, shaking his head. "What happened, Raize? Do you sleepwalk, or were you really awake?"_

Raize watched Naomi as the cat youkai jumped from bed to bed in their room, bouncing first on her feet, then knees, then elbows or shoulders or whatever part of her body that hadn't been sufficiently beat up yet.

"So you're telling me none of this is real."

"Bravo! Give the lady a prize," Naomi snickered as she fell over, landing in the splits between two beds, then yelped when she lost her grip and tumbled onto the floor in a heap. "AAAAAHHHHH! The lava's got me!" She faked a dramatic death, complete with gasping and reaching futilely for an invisible hand.

Raize pinched the bridge of her nose, hiding a grin. "Noms, has anyone ever told you you're a certifiable dumbass?"

"Many times!"

"Okay, so _how _is none of this real? I can touch you, I can run into walls, I can eat. Speaking of which, I'm hungry. But how is it not real, if I can do all that stuff? None of my dreams have _ever_ been so realistic. And after I sleep, I still wake up here."

"But you don't remember where you were last night," Naomi pointed out, whirling soundlessly to her feet. "Night here equals day there, I guess is one way of putting it, since you wake up there when you go to sleep here, even if you don't remember it. Face it, Rai... we're dead, and this is a dream."

"In reality, that would have bothered you."

"My point has been made."

Raize sighed. "Fine then. What am I supposed to do about it? How are you here, anyway? How do I get us all out?"

Naomi's eyes narrowed, darkening as she turned to look out the window. "Keep your eye on Ramah, first of all. I don't like the way she's acting. I never have."

Raize snarled. She knew what it was like to be called out for being the strange one, and it struck a nerve when Naomi talked about the quietest member of the nine. "Why, because she's scared of her own voice? Because she's a cutter and has no 'good' explanation for it? Ramah is NOT the problem here, Naomi! You just spun me a Class-A lie, didn't you? You're trying to turn me against her because you don't like her!"

Naomi crossed the room in two steps and hoisted Raize into the air by her collar, an urgent look scored into her face. "Is that what you think, midget? Those are some pretty big assumptions. I understand that you're protective of her. I do. You two have a strange bond, but it's stronger than steel. I get that. But Ramah is not here, Raize. That girl out there? That's not your twin. That's not the girl that would only let herself be close to you."

Raize turned her face away. "I don't believe you."

"Haven't you noticed that she doesn't smell right? That she doesn't walk like Ramah did? Listen to me! It doesn't matter what happens to us, Rai, but you _have to get out. _You're the only one he can hurt anymore because you're _alive._ Do you hear me? There's no time; you either have to find some way to escape, or you have to get rid of Ramah... before he gets rid of you."

Suddenly the water youkai's head snapped toward the taller girl. "What did you just say?" She barely whispered, darkened eyes widening.

"You heard me."

Raize didn't stop to think about the irrational fury that had ignited in her gut. She narrowed her eyes to slits and showed her teeth, forgetting to question specifically why she wanted to kill the other youkai. "Go to hell."

Naomi's eyelids fell half-closed sarcastically. "It's on my to-do list, short stuff. Get outta here. I'm done talking."

The tiny girl landed where she was dropped and spun on her heel, stalking back outside without understanding exactly what had just happened.

Ramah was waiting for her. "Rai? Your eyes are so dark they're almost black."

"So what?" She snapped.

"Raize. It's all right." Ramah caught the other youkai's shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Easy for you to say." Raize finally noticed she was shaking and folded her arms against her chest, not responding to Ramah's hug or attempting to push it away.

"What happened?"

"Nothing worth telling you about."

"That was another insult."

"No it wasn't."

"You're falling more and more each day and you feel it, don't you? Something has to change."

Raize nodded haltingly.

"Will you let me help you?"

She hesitated, thinking, then nodded again.

"Then sleep again."

"Am I going somewhere again? Will I remember it this time?"

"Yes, and no. You'll have to heal your memory yourself. But you are going somewhere. Not the same place as last time. Somewhere closer to home."

_Kurama ran through the woods on his way to Genkai's temple. He'd tracked Hiei down after he'd left Raize in her apartment, with Yusuke watching over her since he refused to go to school. Her condition was slowly getting worse, and he wanted answers._

_Hiei met him outside, leaning against a tree, eyes closed. "You wanted to see me?"_

"_What happened?" Kurama folded his arms. He was a little irritated that Hiei had just run off, but he didn't invade the other's space._

"_She told me she wanted to die."_

"_And now she _is_ dying."_

_The fire youkai's eyes blinked open slowly. "So it's not just a coma after all. How pathetic," he snorted. "She's going to get her way, no matter what the cost."_

"_Heaven forbid. She's actually managed to push you over the edge, hasn't she?" Kurama grinned humorlessly. "Smart girl."_

"_How so?"_

"_Think about it. When you're angry, you have a reason for it, and if you're coerced into talking at all, you'll mention what that reason is. She's trying to make sense of you, and her method of doing that is pushing you until you finally tell her the reason for your actions. It's given her quite a bit of information on you so far." The fox shook his head. "Although this time it seems to have backfired, since you left her in the middle of the sidewalk."_

"_If you want an apology, kiss my ass," Hiei snarled. "She deserved it."_

"_I don't care what she deserved. Both of us will have hell to pay if we let her die."_

"_I can't get through to her; it won't work," he snapped. _

"_Bullshit. It's obvious she frustrates you; that's just an excuse to keep you from throwing her through a wall and you know it," Kurama hissed. His eyes flashed gold; only Hiei knew how to balance on the fine line between pushing his buttons and becoming the world's first youkai pancake._

_Hiei grinned wickedly. "So what if I did? It could be considered unique home decoration."_

"_She only woke up when she was with you."_

"_Hn. And then she told me to stop waking her up. I'm doing the woman a favor."_

"_And you don't want to give her a piece of your mind?"_

"_I already did."_

"_But she doesn't remember, does she?"_

"_No. That's immaterial."_

"_It is not. You want her to remember. You want her to think about it. You want what you told her to play over and over in her head until it finally makes sense."_

_Hiei glared at him. "If she wants to die, then why don't we just damn well let her?"_

"_You know why, you idiot."_

"_Torture from the brat is worth it if it gets rid of _her."

"_Liar."_

"_I doubt it."_

"_I can prove it."_

_Hiei sighed and slumped to the ground, leaning his head back against the tree. "Stubborn ass."_

"_Likewise." Kurama felt the atmosphere shift; the repartee was over._

"_She'll only wake up if she wants to. I can't drag her out of that blasted dream world she's gotten herself into."_

"_You can keep her alive, though."_

"_I can preserve her body, yes. The rest she'll have to do on her own, unless she decides to get over herself and let me in."_

_Kurama held out one hand. "Let's go, then. We don't have much time."_

_Hiei took his hand and pulled himself to his feet, brushing himself off. "We never do." _

Ed's feet thudded down the stairs in the house by the volcano, hurried and angry. "That little shrimp. I'll kill her," she muttered. She'd just talked to a despondent Naomi and was determined to find Raize and beat the crap out of her. She followed Raize and Ramah's lingering scent to Aidan's cave, talking to herself all the while, until she caught sight of them and stopped dead. Her jaw dropped and all the blood in her body rushed to her face, creating a blush that could've lit up a whole city.

Raize lay unconscious on the floor, and Ramah leaned over her –

"WHAT THE _FUCK_, RAMAH? RAIZE IS _NOT _A LESBIAN!" The giant screeched, bolting forward and yanking Ramah off of the helpless water youkai.

Ramah grinned and wiped blood off her lips. "I don't think she minded. As far as I know, she's actually never been kissed before."

"Well that was NOT the way to go about it! What the hell do you think you're DOING, perv?" Ed shook her by the collar and didn't let go, leaving her hanging in the air.

Instead of answering, the dark-haired girl turned and barked at Raize. "Ra-iz-e! _Éirigí!__" _The command was in an unfamiliar language, soft and lyrical even in her harsh, grating voice.

"Rah-eez-eh? Who's that?" Ed yelped. "What'd you say?"

Ramah chuckled, low and truly demonic. Her onyx eyes sparkled eerily in the dim light issuing from strategically placed tallow candles standing on the floor around the room. "'Rah-eez-eh' is the proper pronunciation of her name, you oaf. As for what I told her... it means 'arise'."

As if on cue, Raize's eyes flicked open wide and she shot to her feet like a bullet, hissing. She shook uncontrollably, teeth showing, crouched low and feral, shifting back and forth like she was straining against invisible chains.

Ramah laughed again. "_Bí fós,_ Ra-iz-e." _Be still. _

Raize snapped her teeth at Ramah, nostrils flaring angrily, but she did as she was told. "_Is fuath liom thú!" _She shrieked. _I hate you!_

Ed's jaw dropped again and she looked back and forth between the two youkai, confused and more than a little scared of Raize's cold black eyes, now mirrors of Ramah's.

"_Tá a fhios agam, a ghrá_," she said mockingly. _I know, love. _Then she tossed her head toward Ed, hissing at Raize. "_Anois, a mharú!_" _Now, kill her!_

Raize dropped to the ground with a gasp, fighting against Ramah's command. "I WILL NOT!" She snarled, shaking away the hot tears that built behind her eyes. "_NÁ!__" NEVER!_

Ramah snapped her teeth. "_Beidh tú!__" You will!_

"EDEN!" Raize yelled. "Eden, get out! He wants me to kill you!" She drew several ragged breaths, then lifted her head and glared up at the raven-haired girl in Eden's grip, face as cold as death. "_Ní bheidh mé ag teacht isteach a thabhairt duit, Aidan!__ Dhiúltaigh mé uair amháin agus dhiúltaigh mé don anois!__" _Her fist pounded against the floor with a _thud _of defiance.

Ed only stared at Raize. "Rai... did you say 'Aidan'?"

"_Is ea. _Yes," she yelped. "That's him, it's not Ramah! Get OUT! If I don't kill you, he'll do it himself – AGAIN!"

Ed turned to the youkai impersonating Ramah, lips curling back, hazel eyes shooting sparks. "Well, whaddya know. You were the one that dragged all of us back from the underworld, huh? That's why we're all back here and that's why Raize is here with us."

Aidan's disguise melted away like candle wax. He tilted his head, grinning wickedly. "Smart girl. Oh, Ra-iz-e_, _Ra-iz-e. Like it or not, you're going to yield. My apologies, but you have no other choice. And just because you refused once doesn't mean you will again. I'll see to that."

Raize screamed at him angrily, lurching forward and then pulling herself back. "_Greim orm__, Aidan__!__" Bite me, Aidan!_

He chuckled. "You idiot. You don't even know how to resist properly. And oh, yes, there is a way... but you don't deserve to know."

She froze, eyes wide, mouth open slightly. Then a low, hysterical laugh bubbled up from deep in her chest. "_Friotaíocht?" _She howled, like it was the most hilarious thing she'd ever heard._ Resistance? "_Oh, but I have something so much better."

The other two didn't even have time to make a sound, and then crackling youki was surging through them, deep and strong, more than Raize had ever tried to use before. She pushed it as far as it would go, forming a huge column that shot straight up into the sky.

_Hiei, _she whispered silently, _please. I need you. _Then her eyes closed peacefully, and she stopped fighting against Aidan's control.

_Hiei's eyes shot open. "Out," he snapped at the other three detectives. They were all in Raize's room, standing by in case they were needed._

_For a split second, they froze, startled. Then Yusuke sprang into life, yanking the door open and all but kicking them into the hallway. "You heard the man! Out!"_

_Kurama hesitated. "Hiei –"_

"_GO, fox. She'll live." Hiei unzipped Raize's jumpsuit and pulled her shirt up, away from the brand that had suddenly begun to burn fiercely. He gritted his teeth and pressed his hand into her skin. "Hear that, woman? You'll live, and then I'm going to kick your skinny ass." His head spun as the unrestricted link opened in their minds again; then he tumbled down into the darkness after her._

Eden was dead. Thani had put up a good fight, but after Raize had torn part of her shoulder off with her teeth, she had fallen easily. Currently, Aidan leaned dispassionately against the wall by the window in the girls' bedroom, watching his killing machine pitted against Cheyanne and Jaqueline, the twins.

Several roots had wound around Raize's legs, wrists, and torso, breaking through the floor from deep underground, called up at Jaqueline's command.

The water youkai struggled and tore at the restraints, sucking in a breath and holding it as Cheyanne grew a bright red flower in her palm and blew its tranquilizing pollen toward her. Raize's eyes narrowed and she wrenched one mangled hand free of the roots, surging forward and punching Cheyanne mercilessly in the face. Then she turned on Jaqueline, fingers curling into nightmarish claws. "Say your prayers, pretty girl," she hissed. "You're next."

_Hiei missed landing on his feet by two and a half inches. He got up, staggered a step, then righted himself, turning to look around in the dark. Normally he would've been able to see fairly well, but this was complete and total blackness. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face._

"_Hiei!"_

"_There's three of you." His eye twitched as he turned toward her voice._

"_Over here."_

"_There's three of you." _

"_Huh?"_

"_There's THREE of you. You, the one in your apartment, and whoever seems to be in that dream world of yours at the volcano." He let out a snort that sounded suspiciously amused. "How in the hell do you live with yourself, woman?"_

"_Oh, don't rub it in; we're all the same person. Can you see?"_

"_No."_

"_Do you trust me?"_

"_No."_

"_Sorry, wrong question. Do you trust me enough to let me tell you where you are and where to go?"_

"_It appears I don't have a choice."_

"_Smart ass, as usual. There's a wall five steps in front of you."_

_He stepped forward and reached out one hand, which ended up colliding with Raize's face – more specifically, her lips._

_She yelped. "Ow. Hi. Yeah, I probably should've told you I'm sort of... chained to said wall."_

_Hiei scowled. "Your lips are bruised." His voice was dark and quiet, almost emotionless but not quite, silently demanding an explanation._

"_Not now. Can you melt the chains?"_

"_Tell me how it happened."_

"_Not now!"_

"_Raize," he growled._

_She hissed. "Later."_

"_What. Happened." He didn't say it as a question, even though that was how it was meant. Black flames ignited on his fingers and he set his hands on either side of her face, so she had nowhere left to run._

_A snarl shredded through Raize's chest. She hated being backed into a corner, but time was running out and she was sick of arguing. "Aidan kissed me, okay? I was unconscious and I couldn't fight him off. It's not like I liked it or anything."_

"_I see."_

"_No you don't," she growled. "You're not the one backed into a corner right now. If I'd had any other choice, I wouldn't have told you."_

_He laughed mirthlessly. "Why not?"_

"_Get me out of here."_

"_No, go on. It was just getting interesting."_

"_Idiot!" Raize exploded. "If I tell you about every little injury Aidan's given me, it'll just be more reason for you to kill him! You don't kill without reason; you think I don't know that? You're using me as an excuse, not because you care anything about me, but because you want Aidan dead and you're willing to play the hero to meet that goal! That HURTS, Hiei! Oh, I'm sorry, what was that? You didn't hear me? Well let me repeat it for you. THAT HURTS!" She yelled right in his face, then snapped at his nose and turned away, but she couldn't shut him out this time._

_She didn't have to. He spun on his heel and stalked back the way he'd come._

"_Don't turn your back on me! Get your ass over here! HIEI!" She couldn't explain the hurricane of emotions roaring through her veins, or the sudden streak of ruthlessness that had caused her outburst. Suddenly every emotion in her was foreign, and a wave of fear hit her right in the face. "Please don't leave me here! I'm scared!"_

_That made him stop. He turned back to her slowly, realization spinning gears into life inside his head. "It's the link."_

"_What?"_

"_We're linked, you idiot, remember? It's distorting your emotions. That, on top of whatever Aidan did to you." He swore under his breath and walked back so fast he nearly ran into the wall beside her, finding her wrists and melting the chains off of her. "Let's go. If this continues any longer, you won't be worth bringing back."_

"_Oh. Lovely." Raize rubbed her wrists, wincing. "Here, this way. Part of me is still connected to the volcano; if we can get there, it'll be easier to stop this." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down a long, winding tunnel._

"_Why can't I see?"_

"_Uh, 'cause it's dark? If it makes you feel any better, I can't see either. The rules don't apply down here; neither does logic. Youki and sound bounce off the walls, but they won't come back to you. Night vision is useless. This place is a labyrinth and no two ways lead to the same place. Sometimes nowhere leads anywhere, and the tunnels change, too."_

"_Then how do you know where we're going?"_

"_You're in my head, smart ass. I think I should know my way around my own mind."_

_He didn't answer immediately, and when he did, it was a change of subject. "Why were you chained to the wall?"_

"_You're looking for reasons again. Don't," she hissed._

_He stopped, and since she was still holding onto him, she was yanked backwards. "Do you ever answer a question with a direct answer?"_

"_Do you?"_

_He rolled his eyes and let her pull him along again._

_They were almost down to the last tunnel when pinpricks of cold jabbed into Raize's skin, making her feel weak and suddenly afraid again. She shivered quietly, sinking down to the ground against a wall. "Uh oh."_

"_What?"_

"_You'll have to go without me; I don't think I'll make it. It's straight ahead, you can't miss it. Go!"_

"_I'm not leaving you here."_

"_Aw, what a sweetheart," Raize snarled._

_Hiei pulled her to her feet and dragged her forward. "Anything but."_

…

_Kuwabara jumped when he heard a thud from in Raize's room. "Guys?" He called. "I think something's going on in there."_

_Yusuke and Kurama got up from where they'd been sitting at the kitchen table and opened the door quietly._

_Yusuke hid a snicker. Kurama shook his head. Kuwabara popped up behind them and nearly choked trying to stifle a laugh._

_Hiei had collapsed onto his back on the floor, but since he wasn't conscious enough to let go of Raize, she'd fallen on top of him._

_Naturally, Yusuke had to take a picture. Perfect blackmail._

…

"_She's mine."_

"_Do I look like I care? Get out, before my patience reaches its limit."_

_The cold voice brought Raize awake and she briefly thought about how ironic it was that so many voices had been waking her up lately, when all she wanted was peace and quiet. Her cheek was pressed into the ground and she was sprawled on her stomach, bleeding from a gash just above her left eyebrow and several nasty cuts on her hands and shoulders. But her eyes strayed away from her injuries, held captive by the two fire youkai standing face-to-face across from each other, both looking madder than hell._

_Hiei stood in front of her, blocking Aidan's path, arms folded. Black and red youki roared around him and sparks leaped off his skin. After they'd found their way to the part of her mind still connected to her dream world, he'd been able to create a temporary body with his energy and interrupt Aidan in the middle of beating Raize senseless._

_Aidan snorted. "I don't see why you care about her. She is nothing."_

_Hiei arched one eyebrow. "Obviously she's something, if she almost killed you. And she would've, had the brat's minions not intervened. You want revenge on her because she's better than you."_

_Raize's stomach lurched. _Because she's better than you. I thought you were better than that, and you proved me wrong. _The memory hit her full-force before she could stop it._

"Tell me how I hurt you and don't say I didn't!"

That was what happened the first time I slept. That was what I couldn't remember, _she thought, eyes widening. _Holy crap. No wonder he's completely shut me out.

_Aidan growled at the shorter youkai. "She is nothing," he repeated. "And there is nothing you can do to ensure that I don't beat it into her brain, before I tear her limb from limb." Then he melted away without a fight, leaving Hiei and Raize alone in a house full of bodies. All of the other eight were dead – again._

"_Geez, he's violent," Raize croaked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up._

"_Get up," Hiei commanded shortly._

"_Can I say something before we leave?"_

"_You don't have much time. If you don't wake up soon, you never will."_

"_I'll be quick. Look, I remember what happened. All the way back to when I asked you for help the first time."_

_His eyes narrowed to slits, but other than that, he showed no reaction._

"_I'm not saying you're wrong – you're not, and I don't have an excuse for it. Will you let me make it up to you?"_

"_You still don't get it. It's not just me; it's everyone."_

_She sighed. "I know, but I'm talking to you, am I not?"_

"_Why do you need my permission?"_

_A frown creased her forehead and she bit into her lip again, gnawing mercilessly at her own skin. But before she could reply, her head went fuzzy and lopsided, like static on TV, and she swayed slightly where she sat before falling over again with a dull thump._

"_Time's up, cretin. You'd better wake up this time – I'm not doing this again."_

"I don't blame you."

Hiei's eyes shot open. The first thing he noticed was that he was on the floor. Then, in rapid succession, he noticed the fact that he was back in Raize's room, the weight on his chest, his numb left arm, and Kurama's familiar voice.

"Good morning," the kitsune smiled. He was sitting in a rolling chair by the window, drinking tea.

Hiei winced. "Sunlight. How long has it been?"

Kurama got up and shut the blinds on the window. "About sixteen hours. Should I ask what happened?"

"You could, but I wouldn't have much of an answer." He stood and tossed Raize back on her bed, then stretched. "She's clueless, not to mention insane."

Suddenly a tiny, icy hand shot out and knotted in his shirt. "_Mar sin, fuar__,__"_Raize murmured.

"What language is that?" Hiei asked, prying her fingers away from his shirt. Raize switched her grip to his hand and wouldn't let go. "She was speaking it earlier, too, but I don't think she knew what she was saying."

Kurama frowned. "It's not like any language I've ever heard before. It doesn't match the rhythm of anything local or the dialect of any romantic language, and if it's a youkai tongue, it's an obscure one. Raize, can you repeat that?"

"_A dóiteáin ifreann in ionad aon rud ach oighear uaigneach.__Mar sin, fuar ... Tá mé chomh fuar__," _she mumbled, twisting and turning but not opening her eyes.

"She's freezing." Hiei looked at Kurama. Kurama looked at Hiei. Hiei glared venomously when he saw the mischief in his friend's eye. "I will incinerate you here and now, fox."

He grinned. "You _are _a walking space heater. Besides, if you killed me, you'd have my angry mob of fan girls to deal with."

Hiei stood there grinding his teeth for a few minutes, debating. When he spoke again, his mind was made up. "You owe me," he muttered grudgingly.

"Yes, I do," Kurama replied, smugly because he knew he'd won.

Hiei snorted and flopped back down beside Raize, settling on his side. "No one hears a word about this, am I clear? If anyone comes back here, they die."

Raize curled up close to him, still murmuring in that strange, lyrical language, and slowly her shivers quieted and the blue tinge in her skin began to ebb away. _"Tá tú chomh difriúil ... mar a bheadh amhrán a chuala mé riamh. Céard a athrú i agat? Cad a rinne tú ag fanacht? An bhfuil mé fós a fhios agat, nó tá mé mícheart ar fad? An bhfuil tú freagraí a bheith acu, nó díreach ceisteanna, cosúil le liom? "_

Kurama tilted his head. "What was that?"

"Several questions, I think."

"Remind me to ask her when she wakes up."

"Chances are she won't remember. Something's wrong with her brain."

"True, but it's worth a try. If she _does _remember, that could save us quite a bit of trouble."

"Hn. Trouble."

"Was that a laugh I just heard?"

"No."

Kurama grinned and shook his head, but he didn't say anything else. He let the silence in the room lull them all to a place somewhere between sleeping and waking, where nothing and everything was real. So it didn't surprise him when Hiei spoke again; anything was possible in their current state.

"Fox?"

"Mmhmm?"

"I think there's something wrong with me."

"How so?"

"I'm tired… and I think I'm actually starting to… give a damn… about whether she lives or dies."

Then they were carried off into a dreamless sleep, the first real rest any of them had gotten in a long time.


	14. Chasm

A/N: Okey, trying a different format. See if this works better. I don't own YYH or 'Sorrow' by Flyleaf. I do, however, love them both. :)

13. Chasm

Raize bolted awake, then instantly regretted it, twisting her face into a grimace. It was dark and her whole body ached, proof that the fights with the other eight were real – at least on some level. She scrubbed hastily at her eyes and glanced at the clock. The eerie, glowing blue numbers read 23:54, six minutes before midnight and her first shift at the 24-hour ramen shop downtown.

"Crap!" She hissed, leaping up and staggering to the bathroom to wash her face. Before she made it there, though, dizziness hit her right in the nose and she sank to the floor, watching colored stars dance before her eyes. "Damn fights. Damn oversleeping. Damn night shifts and psychotic freaks and achy old grandma bones. Damn, damn, damn," she grumbled, blinking away the stars before shoving herself to her feet again.

"Calm down, cretin. You're off work today."

Raize froze for an instant, back ramrod straight, mouth dropping open. Then recognition of the sleepy, slightly annoyed voice brought her fully awake and she whirled around, bracing herself against another shock of dizzying stars. "That's the second time I've woken up to you," she muttered, folding her arms. "So what's this about me not working today?"

"It's Sunday. Your work schedule's on your wall."

"Oh. Wait, then that means –"

"You've been in a coma for a week."

"Ooohh... not good," she groaned. "That means I've got some explaining to do for my boss..."

"Kurama wrote you a doctor's note that should take care of it. It would be in your best interest to thank him the next time you see him." That wasn't a threat, but it was somewhere close.

"Uh, yeah." Raize blinked. _These guys are either nicer than I gave them credit for, or they're playing an angle. Or something._ "So, um... what're you doing here?"

"You almost froze to death yesterday. And apparently I'm a 'walking space heater'."

"That's the truth," she snickered, then lapsed into an uneasy silence, surveying the walls like she was seeing them for the first time. "Hey, Hiei? Um... you okay?"

He rolled over to face her and propped himself up on his elbow. "What?" His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows scrunched down, but he didn't look hostile – not yet. Just confused, and maybe a little surprised.

"Are you okay? You've been here all night, haven't you? Not to mention yesterday when... when... ugh. You know." Her eyes didn't hold his for long, skittering away to stare at the walls again.

The concern in her voice caught him almost off-guard and he blinked, frowning. "I'm fine," he replied after a heavy silence. "Tired."

Raize let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, then grinned wryly. "The vengeful bitch known as insomnia takes its toll, huh?"

"Hn." He rolled over to face the window again, a smirk on his face. Her description of insomnia was the truth.

"Hey."

"Hey what."

"Can you turn back over?"

"Why?"

"Pleeeeeease?"

"Not if you won't tell me why."

She flitted to her nightstand and perched on top of it next to her clock, hugging her knees to her chest. "Because you're easier to read if I can see your face. Most particularly your eyes."

"Oh?"

"Pleeeeease?" She rocked back and forth uncomfortably.

He rolled his eyes and flipped back onto his other side, glaring at her. "Happy now?"

"Sorry. Without seeing your eyes, you're nearly impossible to read... and it unsettles me," she mumbled shyly.

"Why?"

She tilted her head, squeezing one eye half-closed and raising the opposite eyebrow in a look that spelled 'dementia' from any angle. "Well look who's full of questions now, huh?"

The fire in his glare intensified by a few degrees.

Her hands flew into the air in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, okay, calm down. I'm just used to being able to protect myself by reading people, that's all. If I can get deep enough, I can see past their everyday front. If I see something dangerous, then I adapt. If that means fighting or disappearing, it gives me a way to prepare for either one. That's how I disappeared last time, and how I ended up with a job, a place to stay, and a few extras thrown in. It's just... very detailed observation – sometimes a situation calls for a lot of detail, sometimes it doesn't. Take Kurama for example – we walked for almost a mile before I even had a vague outline of what I needed to know. He's so calm and collected and in control of himself that it's scary. Almost like he makes himself invisible on purpose, to keep all the cards in his hand. I'm still not sure where I stand with him. Same thing is true for you, but... for a different reason," she murmured. Her eyes had wandered to the dark window, no longer seeing, but open all the same.

Then suddenly she pulled herself back, snapping out of the near-trance she'd fallen into. A grin flashed over her face. "Now to the good stuff, huh? I'm no fortune teller, but I know where you've been isn't somewhere over the rainbow. The way your past affected you gave you the attitude everyone has to deal with now. Cold, simple logic and a scathing sense of humor are your best weapons – far scarier than that damn sword, actually. I'm assuming your words keep people at such a distance because the space gives you room to feed your own addiction... am I right?"

He gave her a 'yeah, sure' look. "So now I'm an addict, am I?"

"Not to anything physical, smart ass." She shoved her chin into the palm of her hand, curling her knuckles against her still-bruised mouth as she squinted at his face. After two and a half minutes of an intense staring contest, her face brightened. "Aha! I was right. You're addicted to freedom, my fire-breathing friend. Well that makes sense, doesn't it? You're always looking for an escape route when you walk into a room in case you need to kill somebody and run, and you never say goodbye when you leave – that's like asking for permission to go. You don't work well with people, and let's face it, being in here for thirty some-odd hours is giving you cabin fever, no matter how tired you are."

"I'm fine," he retorted. "I don't have 'cabin fever'."

"The hell you don't, spiky. You're grumpier than usual and your eyes are bloodshot. Not that it's easy to tell, with eyes like yours. And I figure if I can tell your eyes are bloodshot, that's not a good sign. Wanna go take a walk or something?"

"I can't leave," he grumbled, rolling back over. "'Doctor's orders'."

Raize laughed at the air quotes he made. "I can always tell the doc I kicked you out."

"Not that he'd believe you."

"Oh really? I can be pretty convincing if I wanna be."

"I'm sure."

"See! There you go again. I can't see your face, so I can't tell if you thought that was funny or if it pissed you off."

"Are you deaf? Maybe you can't quite wrap your brain around it, but people usually hear emotion as well as see it."

Raize folded her legs into a butterfly stretch, grin widening until it stretched all the way across her face. "Well yeah, but with you, 'amused' and 'this is the part where you run away screaming' don't sound much different - urf!" She wasn't quite quick enough to dodge the fist that connected with her stomach, though, and ended up tumbling backwards off her nightstand, head over heels, to land upside down with one knee smushing her nose and the other on the ground beside her ear. "See!" She squeaked from the floor, laughing like she'd just inhaled helium. "See! Cabin fever! What'd I tell ya!"

"For someone that's just undergone a week-long coma, mental trauma, partial hypothermia, and several fights that may or may not have been real but left marks anyway, you are the most annoyingly cheerful person I have ever met."

"Oh yeah, I'm a total optimist," she snorted, rolling her eyes as best she could. "Hey, can you help me up? Jo twisted my back when I fought her and I feel like I'll permanently damage something if I try to move. Ow."

"And that doesn't bother you? Thinking about killing them?" Hiei rolled all the way to the other side of the bed and stared down at her with a look on his face that might've been similar to 'morbidly fascinated'.

"Ehhm... Tryin' not to think about it, actually," she replied, peering up at him from the corner of her eye. "Trying to distance myself from the mess of emotions behind it. 'Course that's a recipe for disaster, but at least I can try, right?"

Hiei reached over and flipped her onto her side with one hand, then sat up and swung his feet to the floor, leaning his elbows on his knees and propping his chin in his palm. "You're right, for once. You won't be able to get away from it."

Raize swallowed another smart comment when she heard how quiet his voice was. She examined his face cautiously, afraid of breaking the vulnerable silence that had unexpectedly fallen between them.

His eyes were lightyears away, downcast and thoughtful. The leashed fury that had burned inside him was gone, replaced by a darker, subtler emotion, something that Raize might have called regret, had she been trying to put a name to it.

The tiny youkai bit her lip, trying to decide whether to hug him or not. _He'd prolly push you away, like always,_ muttered the melancholy raincloud on her left shoulder. _But he looks so sad... _ Replied the sweet, rosy cherub on her right shoulder. Back and forth she argued with herself, until finally the cherub got tired of the raincloud's dismal comebacks and smacked it out the window with a baseball bat that had 'WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?' written on it in thick black sharpie.

Then the raincloud flew back in and poured acid on the cherub's head, farting tiny claps of thunder angrily.

_Screw you both,_ Raize grumbled. She sat up, stretching, then rose to her feet, ignoring the creaking of her achy joints.

Hiei jumped like he'd been shocked when she moved, head snapping up suddenly.

Raize brushed her knuckles over the side of his face gently, pulling back before he could swat her hand away. "Take it easy, love," she smiled. "You've gone almost three days without coffee; I'm just gonna go make some. You drink it black, right?"

He considered glaring at her, but really, she didn't deserve it. She hadn't asked any questions, only left him to his reverie, and even when he snapped out of it, there was no unnecessary interrogation or bleeding-heart sob stories waiting for him. She'd just... let the event be what it was, and allowed it to end when the moment died. That was something different. So, instead of glaring at her or conjuring up a sneer and a snide remark, he just nodded, a little awkwardly, and let her walk away.

Raize danced into the kitchen quietly, humming to herself. _That was weird... hope I did the right thing,_ she thought. Her mental voice was a whisper, like she was afraid of being heard, although the rational part of her brain doubted anyone was listening. _And he's right. I said I'd try to forget, to distance myself, but it won't be that easy._ A frown scrunched her eyebrows together as she ran water into a kettle and set it on the stove. After the snap of the spark lighting the burner had faded into the still air, she folded herself onto the floor under the window and closed her eyes to wait.

A dead girl waited behind her eyelids. _Raize! What's wrong with you?_

Raize's head snapped sideways. _It's not me!_ She called to the specter. _ It's not me, it's Aidan! Get away, Jo! Please, get away!_

_Leave her be, Aidan! She doesn't belong to you anymore!_

_Stop... holding... me. _ Raize saw herself tear into Jo's side with her teeth, heard the other girl scream. _I can't make myself stop... damn. So weak. So weak and pathetic and useless. _ The surreal, echoing hiss of the last 's' was the precursor to another scream, this time loud enough to wrench Raize back out of the shadows. She opened her eyes slowly, bringing her racing heart back to rest.

The tea kettle screamed again, whistling high and sharp through the quiet of her apartment.

She groaned and pulled herself to her feet, stumbling over to the stove to turn the burner off. _Yup, Hiei was definitely right. Never gonna get a moment's peace, am I? Is this gonna happen every time I close my eyes? ... Better make a second cup of coffee then... _ Her face slipped into a dark, brooding expression as she busied herself with the coffee, and she didn't notice at first when a shadow ghosted down the hall toward the kitchen, wandering almost aimlessly across the floor.

"You drew all over the walls out here, too."

Raize jumped and nearly splashed hot water right into her face. "Geez, you're quiet," she muttered. "If I tell you why they're there, do you promise not to call me an idiot?"

"That depends on your reason." Hiei sat on the windowsill and pressed his back to the frame, turning sideways so he could keep one eye on Raize and the other outside.

"It was right before I went out and found Ramah's grave by accident, I think. After that insane party."

"Don't remind me."

She grinned. "Guess that means you remember. After you guys left, I was in my room and it felt like someone was right outside with their ear against the door, listening to me. Normally I would've just thrown open the door and kicked their ass for being a creeper, but I couldn't make myself do it. Then things got weird - a few seconds later I got this freaky shivery feeling from my head to my toes, and then a completely random thought popped into my head, like someone had put it there instead of letting me think it on my own. It said 'someone's listening to you breathe. They're counting every breath you take, until.' And that's where it stopped, and there was absolute, dead silence. By then I was pretty damn mad at whoever was messing with my head, so naturally, to spite the whole horror flick atmosphere, I threw the door open and sang 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' in my best impression of an opera singer on helium." Her grin turned impossibly more crooked and mischievous. "I guess that scared whatever it was away."

"Why am I not surprised?" Hiei shook his head as a smirk tugged at his mouth.

"'Cause this is me, and I'm a weirdo? In any case, no matter how much I tried to take my mind off it, I kept looking over my shoulder at the hallway because it didn't feel safe. So finally I got fed up with myself for being such a coward, and broke out the sharpie minions. Those symbols aren't wards, per say... well, at least not in the conventional sense. But they're all sturdy and reassuring, and they made me feel safe - temporarily, at least. Most of them are trees or doves or defensive runes that Ramah taught me."

"Is that how you ended up in a coma to start with?"

Raize handed him steaming black coffee in a chipped mug that said 'you're just jealous 'cause I'm the hot one' in red block letters across a faded pink background, then sat down at the table next to him with her own. "What, by drawing the runes? No, although I guess it wouldn't have surprised me if that had been the case... I wandered out into the woods when being in here got to be too suffocating. What I didn't know is that Ramah's grave is out there. I tripped over it, the atmosphere got creepy, these weird shadows started pulling me down, and bang - I'm back at the volcano with the other eight, who have apparently been pulled out from the underworld right out from under the brat's snotty nose. And _that_ could not have been Aidan's work by any stretch of the imagination, because he has neither the brains nor the brawn to do it. Which is by far the scariest idea I've ever thought of, because now look where we stand - not only do we have a demented freak of a stalker on the loose, we also have an evil mastermind _behind_ the demented stalker _and_ a ticking time bomb disguised as a slightly insane midget that could go haywire at any minute. I mean I've been speaking _Gaeilge_ for crying out loud, and I don't even know what country that's from!" Raize sighed and deflated somewhat, tired from the rant.

"So you do know what language you've been speaking?"

"Don't ask me how, but… yeah. Before the coma, I'd only ever heard it spoken once, and now I could prolly translate a whole dictionary into it without even thinking."

"That's interesting." Hiei turned his head toward her, a thoughtful frown on his face. If Raize didn't know better, she would've sworn she heard gears clicking in his brain. As it was, she blamed the coffee for making her jittery.

"'Interesting', my butt. It's scary is what it is. If someone can put a whole _language_ inside my head without me being able to do anything about it, what else do you think they're capable of?"

"Hmm... complete and total control of your brain?" Mischief pulled the edge of his mouth into another, wider smirk and narrowed his eyes into catlike slits.

Raize snorted. "Smart ass. That was a rhetorical question."

"It's the coffee," he murmured, yawning.

"Yeah, uh-huh. Sure." She rolled her eyes, but a traitorous grin spread across her face before she could stop it, and then she was snickering like it was the funniest thing in the world. "Coffee and insomnia. No wonder there's something wrong with us." Then she went quiet and somber, staring into her coffee like she was trying to read the future. "Hey... you ever suppose this is all a dream? Are we gonna wake up from it? If we do, what would we wake up to?"

"Something worse than this, I'm sure," Hiei retorted. "No, this is reality. You're not that far gone yet."

"How can you be sure, Mr. Grumpy?"

"I'm sure." He didn't offer any explanation.

"_How?_" Raize repeated.

He reached over and smacked the side of her head with one open hand. "That's how."

"Ow."

"You're welcome."

She chewed her lip pensively, scooting back in her chair and tucking her knees to her chest. "I never got around to thanking you for pulling me out of dream hell," she murmured softly. "If you didn't wanna do it, no one could've made you. I can't even guess at your reasoning anymore, but you've stuck your neck out for me several times now, and I've barely even noticed, and now it's eating at me."

"Oh really? Has it bitten the chip off your shoulder yet?"

"You're one to talk."

"Kurama had to convince me to stay, woman. Don't go thanking me just yet."

"But my point is that he couldn't have done anything about it if you'd refused."

"He could've dragged me back by my ears," the fire youkai muttered to himself.

Raize burst out laughing. "No. Kurama? Really?"

"It's happened before, believe me..." The death glare that darkened his eyes was not directed at her for once, and it made her relax a little. Less glaring was a step in the right direction – especially when his glares tended to have the intensity of a high-frequency laser.

"When?"

Hiei sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Ask him; he'll be glad to tell you all about it."

Three seconds later, there was a knock at the door. Then an instant of silence, an explosive sneeze, and another knock.

Raize got up and answered the door, jumping three feet in the air when Kurama sneezed again. She slapped both hands over her heart dramatically, pretending to fall backwards in a theatric faint. "Geez, man! Heart failure!"

"Someone seems to be talking about me," he answered calmly.

Raize grinned and stepped back to let him in. "Guilty as charged, love. Want some tea? I just made coffee for Mister Grumpy."

"If it's not too much trouble, tea sounds nice."

She nodded and put the kettle back on the stove after refilling it, then danced back to the table and spun into her chair with a sigh. Her knee and ankle popped as she folded one leg in and reached out with the other, pushing a chair toward Kurama with only her big toe. "So, to what do we owe this visit, oh mighty Youko, King of Thieves?"

"I've been checking up on you every now and then, just to see if there are any lasting effects from your coma. In all honesty, I was expecting Hiei to answer the door. I didn't think you'd be awake, despite your nocturnal tendencies."

"Well, doesn't look like I'm gonna keel over any time soon, if that's what you're concerned about," Raize mused. "Got a few bruises from the other eight and Aidan, but it's nothing that won't heal. On the non-physical side… I can suddenly speak something called Gaeilge. I don't know what country it's from, and I think… I think there's only been one other time, besides my coma, when I've heard it spoken, and that was when Aidan branded me."

"Gaeilge, hmm?" Kurama sounded suddenly distracted, staring off out the window from narrowed eyes.

Raize pushed her chair back and hop-skipped over to the stove when the kettle started whistling again. "Earl Grey, Cinnamon Apple Spice, or Chai?"

"Chai, please," he murmured, tapping his fingertips against the table in a slow, even cadence.

Raize fished a rubber band out of her pocket and shot it at his head after she'd set the timer for the tea.

Kurama caught the missile before it clipped his ear and turned to look at her, blinking thoughtfully.

Raize put her hands on her hips. "Earth to fox boy. If you're not gonna tell me what you obviously know about my foreign language weirdness, I'll be happy to write a horrible, sappy fanfiction about you and mass-publish it until it infects all three worlds and leaves you with nowhere left to hide," she said brightly with a shamelessly maniacal grin.

Kurama's eyebrows shot up. "I think you just broke the fourth wall."

Raize folded her arms. "Hey. I'm a completely illogical character. I think I'm allowed."

Hiei choked on his coffee trying to hide a snicker and sat there coughing for five minutes.

Kurama chuckled and shook his head. "I guess that's true. You certainly have a way with threats, don't you?"

"It's one of my many creative outlets. I've been known to carry them out, too," she replied mischievously, casting him a wink before shutting the beeping timer off and serving him his tea with a graceful, dramatic bow. "Your tea, my red-headed friend." Once she was settled back into her chair, she turned semi-serious. "So what's this crap about me speaking Gaeilge all of a sudden?"

"Well, before you decided to shoot a rubber band at me, I was putting together a theory based on some research I did earlier. Apparently in times past, when slaves were branded, there was a 'trigger language' that was spoken throughout the branding process. It was infused with the master's energy, and could only be used by the master, or someone with a similar energy signature, if the process wasn't done exactly right. That's what I suspect happened when Aidan branded you – except he only recently decided to use your trigger language on you, when most masters used it on a daily basis so their slaves could not resist them. After such a long time, it would be rusty, so to speak, and you would be less affected."

Raize digested his words carefully, a small crease forming between her eyebrows as she thought. "Okay. So why would Aidan just now decide to use it on me? What did you mean when you said something about someone with a similar energy?"

_Fox, I need to leave. Her drawings are jumping off the walls at me, _Hiei hissed, poking his friend's consciousness urgently.

Kurama gave him the slightest nod. _I understand. Thank you for staying._

_Hn. _The fire youkai stood silently and disappeared out the door, shutting it gently behind him.

"Uh. Did you just tell him to leave or something? Was it something I said?" Raize squeaked, uncomfortably confused.

He smiled reassuringly and shook his head. "No, he just needed some air, that's all. Good timing, actually, because although he may have figured it out already, I didn't want to answer your second question while he was listening, just in case."

"In case what?" Raize pulled her knees to her chest and set her chin on them, eyeing him suspiciously.

The redhead sighed. "I did say if the process was not done exactly the way it was meant, then the master would not be the only one that could use the slave's trigger language. From the way the situation has played out thus far, I'm afraid that seems to be the case with you. And since Aidan is a fire youkai, well… if what we've inferred is true, that means Hiei will be able to control you as well."

As soon as Raize picked her head up from her knees to listen more intently to what he was saying, her jaw dropped. "Oh. Oh, HELL no."

"Unfortunately, yes. Despite his unwillingness to admit it, Hiei's energy does bear some resemblance to Aidan's. Dark, often instinct driven, naturally aggressive… all the same traits, if what I've read from him is correct. Of course, Aidan seems to be the weaker of the two, so if it came down to a battle between his and Hiei's command, Hiei would win. Although I suppose that's little comfort to you," the fox grinned behind his teacup.

Raize crossed her arms. "That's not funny, fox boy."

"Maybe I should remind you that I'm quite a few years older than you are?" His grin curled into a smug smile as the pleasant question hung in the air between them.

She snorted derisively. "Sure, grandpa."

"You're getting better."

"Au contraire, love. It's the pain that makes me like this," she retorted theatrically.

"I didn't know you were a poet."

"Nah, that's not quite right anyway. How about satirist?"

"Satanist would be the more accurate description."

"Oh, that was low."

"Really? I thought it was just at your level."

"Ouch! Geez, why's it so cold in here?" Raize laughed as she leaped onto the windowsill and stood, leaning into the glass.

"Diverting your attention from the apparently disturbing idea of Hiei using your trigger language seems to have worked, if I've managed to get that far under your skin," he answered wryly.

She glared at him out of the strange, dark eyes that had settled behind her cheeky façade after her coma. "I'll kill him if he tries. I'll kill him if he even comes close. I won't let anyone do that to me ever again and that's that."

"You may not have a choice."

A hiss breathed from between her teeth like the edge of a knife, surgically precise. "I will _always _have a choice. If that means killing myself, then so be it."

He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, tilting his head to one side. "Your dark side manifests at the most unlikely times, you know that?"

She froze for a second, and then a grin flashed across her face and lit up her eyes again, banishing the shadows that had threatened him just a second before. "Yup. Unfortunately, I'm still a pretty unstable person and that coma did nothing to help it... not sure if that'll ever change, actually."

"It's your personality, thus it's your choice," Kurama countered, blinking placidly at her. "You said so yourself."

"All hail the guru of psychology! So what if I don't know how to change it? It's not like anyone ever taught me, and really... I'm not smart enough to figure it out on my own." She folded down into a butterfly stretch on the windowsill, shoulders pulled in, avoiding his eyes.

"I've upset you."

She frowned. "Yeah, so? I kinda deserved it. I contradicted myself and you called me on it. So really I don't have the right to be upset, y'know?"

Kurama was quiet for what seemed like forever, sitting up straight and still, a mildly surprised look on his calm face. "You do realize what you just said, right?"

Raize shifted around and pulled one knee to her chest, resting her chin on it and folding her arms. "Uh, yeah. And?"

He laughed softly. "I guess you do have your lucid moments, every so often."

She snorted. "They're few and far between."

"Hmm, maybe and maybe not. I think you're too hard on yourself sometimes."

"In your words, fox boy, 'maybe and maybe not'. You know why nobody wanted me? I know you've read my file, so you know I've been adopted several times, but do you know why I couldn't just stick with a family and be happy? 'Cause I was too damn busy running from my own life. I didn't want their love even if they were willing to give it to me. I was an ungrateful little brat and oh hell, did I ever act like one. Nine families, Kurama – I ruined the lives of _nine families _because I didn't want them. I wanted _my _parents and no one else, and I ran away when the slightest little thing went wrong. That's what got me into so much trouble." Her mouth curled into a bitterly sad smile. "Now you tell me if I've been lucid all this time. Have I been in my right mind, or should I just give up and accept the fact that I really am batshit crazy?"

Kurama stood with a sigh that almost sounded defeated, reaching over and ruffling her hair gently. "First of all, you were a child, Raize. Of course you wanted your parents. Perhaps for that, you're not entirely at fault. As for being crazy... chances are you're very much sane if you even consider the possibility of being _in_sane. Think about it, all right? I've got to get back home before I'm missed."

Raize twisted her face up into a skeptical expression. "Who's up at four in the morning?"

"My mother, if she finds out I'm gone. She seems to know when I leave, no matter if I tell her or not. Promise me you won't do anything drastic?"

"Not while you're looking, I won't," she winked, holding the door open for him. "While you're gone? I can't swear to anything."

He laughed again. "I guess that's the best I can hope for, then."

She listened for the sound of his footsteps, barely there against the stairs that led to the ground floor of her apartment complex, then danced down the hall and into her room. She flopped onto her bed and stuffed her nose into her pillow, closing her eyes.

The scent of hot metal and woodsmoke smacked her in the face irreverently. There was something subtler there, too, like the sky at midnight, dark and wild and free. All together, he smelled _alive. _Not just existing. _Alive. _There was no other word she would think of to describe it.

_Why did you stay, Hiei? _She mused, curling on her side when she couldn't breathe against the pillow anymore. _What's your motive? Is it just Kurama's persuasion, or is there something you want? You still gonna kick my ass? Who are you now? Have you changed, or are you just wearing another mask? _"Nyeh," she grumbled. "Too many questions. I'm alive and I'll go from there." Then she leaped to her feet and stuck her earbuds in her ears, plugging her iPod in and turning it up until she couldn't hear her own voice.

"Sometimes life seems too quiet

Into paralyzing silence

Like the moonless dark

Meant to make me strong

Familiar breath of my old lies...

Change the color in my eyes.

Soon he will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by..."

The song was at the very edge of her range, but she didn't mind reaching for it anyway, closing her eyes and flinging out her arms. The momentum of the motion carried her in a circle, beginning to end and back again.

"Sorrow lasts

Through this night

I'll take this piece of you

And hope for all eternity

For just one second I felt whole...

As you flew right through me..."

Her toes scraped across the floor, dragging, reminding her she was there, reminding her she was all right. She knew it wasn't over. It was just the beginning; of course it was. But...

Somehow the thought didn't scare her anymore.

….

_The REAL A/N!_

_So. Gaeilge. Hmmmm. Now you know what language she's speaking! Woot woot!_

_And yeah, this chapter is A LOT OF DIALOGUE. Le gasp! Next chapter's gonna be all action. ;) Not THAT kind of action! Geez... don't lie to me, you were thinkin' it..._

_Raize is still edgy and weird, and Kurama and Hiei are still doing their best to not wring her neck... I think they're doing a damn good job thus far, cause I know I prolly wouldn't put up with me if I acted the way she does. Wait... _

_Okay, Yusuke and Kuwabara have been MIA lately. They'll come back, don't worry. They will come back to rescue Hiei and Kurama from Raize the demon child so they don't kill her._

_Nyeh. Anywho, I went back and read the first part of this fic. And nearly fainted. I wanted to DIE because now I think it sucks. But I'm leaving it up because it shows how far I've come. Or at least I think it does. -.-U I dunno; I hope I get better than I am and I'm open to any tips, but some days it's just like... dude... I suck. And I sit there and laugh at myself because I think it's morbidly funny that I'm saying that and still posting crap. Strangeling child is me. :P_

_Go listen to Sorrow. Better yet, watch the official music video. It'll get stuck in your head and bug you for weeks. :] Uh huh uh huh. _

_And... I guess that's about it. Thanks for sitting through another chapter! ^.^_


	15. Dancing Lessons

14. Dancing Lessons

...

"Anything?" Kurama murmured to no one as he walked in the general direction of the city, by way of the scenic route.

Hiei fell into step beside him a half-second later, melting out of the shadows like a breath of smoke. "I would say judge for yourself," he growled, "but it's easier explained in words."

Kurama's eyebrows shot up. "That bad?"

"Too convoluted by itself. She never completes a thought without starting another one in the middle of the first," he answered with a wince. "The volcano is at the northern edge of the country, on the coast. It's uninhabited because it was considered cursed. That's how they stayed unnoticed for so long."

"So the other eight...?"

"Are real, so I suppose she's not demented. It's not just in her head, which surprised me."

"Why? Did you automatically consider her a liar?"

He snorted. "Tell me the truth, fox. Does any of her story sound credible? Nine families? Eight other youkai there with her, and oh, there just _had _to be a psychopath thrown in, to make things interesting. Any idiot would be skeptical. We've all seen her eyes go dark; that would be easier explained by a split personality than a traumatic past."

"Who says everything has to have an easy explanation?"

"Occam's Razor," Hiei retorted without missing a beat.

"I've taught you too well," Kurama grinned, ignoring the look on the other's face that said 'don't flatter yourself, thief'. "So she's telling the truth about them; that means instead of just attempted rape, Adian can be charged with eight murders as well. This makes things interesting."

"Pfft. Maybe we should put a bounty on his head."

"Of course – if you want Raize to tear your head off with her bare hands and then spontaneously combust," was the oh-so-serene answer. "However humorous the concept might seem at times, Raize's ache for revenge could cause problems. She's willing to do nothing short of sell her soul if it means she'll get an opportunity to kill Aidan. If I didn't know better, I'd call it ruthlessness."

"'If you didn't know better'?"

The redhead nodded. "She's not a killer; she's just angry. Ruthlessness entails having no regret for one's actions. Raize would regret killing anyone."

Hiei grinned darkly. "Where as we do not... so we could call ourselves ruthless, no?"

A low laugh rumbled in Kurama's chest. "In deed and in fact."

"You're not really going home, are you?"

"No, this morning I'm going hunting. I'm going to find Aidan, make a plan, and hopefully we'll have this case closed by tomorrow."

"You have an idea of how to keep her from dying with him."

"You won't like it."

"Just my luck."

"She'll have to get past the fear that keeps her from fighting, first, though."

Hiei stopped in mid-step, blinking, like he'd forgotten how to move his feet. "Sometimes I could swear it's _you _that can read _my _mind, fox."

"Hmm?" Kurama turned to look at him, question in his eyes.

"She's afraid of killing; that's why she won't fight to the best of her ability, right?"

"Yes..."

"And Raize is a dancer..."

"Yes..."

"And she's never serious when she's dancing..."

"Yes..."

"Then there's a way to train her." Hiei spun on his heel and strode away, but not before Kurama caught a spark of something dangerous in his burning eyes.

The fox shook his head and turned back toward the city lights, a smirk tilting sharply at his mouth. _We're rubbing off on each other, _he thought wryly. _Hiei's becoming the thinker, and I am the bloodthirsty one._

Hiei's presence smacked him upside the head one last time before it faded away into the dark, confirming the look that had been in his eyes. _Don't count on it, kitsune..._

…

Raize lurked. She wandered around with music in one ear and one eye over her shoulder, restless and a little suspicious, looking around for whatever she'd missed during her coma. She ended up in a park, and before she knew it, she'd run face-first into a tree. _Wham. _"Ow," she grumbled, stumbling backward a step and glaring upward. "Uncalled for, Hiei! I woulda seen that if you hadn't stuck a damn energy barrier in front of me!"

He smirked down at her. "What's your skull made of, woman? I felt the impact all the way up here."

"Feel this, twerp," she growled, and pulled water straight from the ground, shooting it up like a geyser through the tree's branches and into Hiei's eyes.

He made a humorously undignified spluttering sound and lost his grip, tumbling headfirst onto the ground in front of her. His head supported his weight for a second, and then he toppled over sideways, glaring up at her murderously.

Raize was laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes, streaming uncontrollably off her cheeks as her whole body shook. Her torso started to ache, and she almost fell over with him. "Karma... is such... a bitch!" She gasped raggedly, impervious to his laser-like stare. Until he hit her in the side repeatedly with a dagger of raven-black energy. And then she just laughed harder. "Hey! S-stop it! Ticklish!"

In the space of about three seconds, she was flat on her butt and he was standing over her, wickedness sizzling in his eyes and the set of his mouth. "Oh, really?"

She was serious in an instant, eyes wide, mouth open in a tiny 'o'. "Oh shit," she squeaked.

He leaped for her at the same time that she catapulted away, sprinting for the safety of the woods behind the park and screaming hysterical, bloody murder.

Raize was fast, but she was barely thinking through the bubbly drunkenness of laughter in her chest. Hiei, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was doing and was determined to chase her down for shooting water into his eyes and making him fall on his head.

They were almost all the way to Genkai's when he finally caught her, taking a flying leap through the air and pinning her to the ground on her back.

Raize burst out laughing again, sheer happiness turning her cheeks pink and scrunching her eyes closed. When she finally relaxed enough to look up, she found him grinning down at her, and for once, it wasn't a dark grin. Just mischief, and the satisfying payback of the race.

Then the moment was gone and he was on his feet, his back to her, stalking away like he really didn't give a damn if she followed or not. He was infuriatingly good at shutting everyone out at an instant's notice; Raize was not.

She propped herself on her elbows, completely confused. "Hiei? What's wrong? What'd I do?"

"Get up. We're going to the meadow."

"You mean the place where I almost got eaten by the imitation dragon? What for?" She sprang to her feet and scampered after him, eyebrows mashed down in frustration.

"I'm going to teach you how to fight."

"Uh. I already know how."

"No you don't," he spat scornfully. "You don't know anything."

Just like that, she was angry. "If you'd quit trying to convince me that I don't know anything, then maybe you'd see differently! Maybe I actually _am _good for something, but you won't let me show you!" She snapped, vaulting over his head and blocking his path. Her hands were planted on her hips and her feet were set wide apart, challenging and fearless. "I'm _not_ a complete idiot, Hiei!"

Any trace of expression melted off his face – this was safer, more familiar ground. He was used to fighting with her, not watching her laugh, or worse, laughing _with _her. "Yes you are."

She pulled her fist back and punched him in the nose.

His palm met her knuckles just before they reached his face; then he pushed her backwards so hard she almost tripped over her own feet and fell back onto the ground. "See? You don't know anything. It would be so easy to kill you right now."

Raize let out a frustrated half-growl, half-scream, knotting her hands in her hair. "Well fuck me, Hiei! Why the hell don't you?"

He tilted his head, eyes narrowed.

"Don't you dare say it's because you'll be punished! You don't give a _damn _about punishment; I know because if you did, you wouldn't inflict so much of it on other people!" She hadn't stopped yelling, and veins had started pulsing on the backs of her hands, shooting needles of pain through her fingers. Instead of the happy pink that had laced her face earlier, her skin had turned angry, blotchy red, and her eyes were wide and livid. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Why don't you ask yourself that?" He shot back, arms folded, steel-cold and merciless.

His soft question was the equivalent of a shot through the heart. Raize crumpled in on herself, sinking to the ground with her head in her hands. "I hate you," she hissed. "Always redirecting; you never give me a straight answer, especially when I need it most. I hate you."

He was crouched in front of her a second later. "No," he murmured, laying his middle finger and thumb against her forehead and flicking her backwards, "you don't. Otherwise you would've tried harder to hit me." Then he was gone again, walking away from her like nothing had happened.

"Then answer me!" She called over her shoulder. "What do you think you're doing to people? Is it just distance that you want? What's your angle, Hiei?"

He stopped, turned his head back toward her. "When you don't need me anymore... then maybe I'll tell you the truth."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The bark of laughter that echoed over the air between them made Raize grimace. "Get stronger."

Grudgingly, slowly, she got up and followed him, trying to burn a hole through the back of his head with a stare that matched the intensity of the sunrise that punched through the early morning gloom in the woods.

…

"How did you beat the other eight?"

"Carefully," Raize growled as she licked her split knuckles and spat blood into the grass; it had been half an hour already and she wasn't getting anywhere. Hiei knew something she didn't, but he wasn't about to tell her what it was, as if he wanted to make her figure it out on her own.

"Show me." He poked her mind irreverently.

She smacked his presence back with just as much tact. "Why?"

"Maybe I can tell you what you're missing."

"Really? Suddenly you're oh-so-willing to be direct, huh?" She snorted. "Yeah. Sure. That's just an excuse to dissect my brain."

He lunged forward and caught her side, pushing her tank top up and digging his fingers into her brand. "You make things so difficult," he snarled.

She snapped her teeth at him, then yelped as the strange, unrestricted link that had pulled them together only twice before opened in their minds. Everything went black, but that didn't stop Raize from twisting around and sinking her teeth into his arm angrily. And unfortunately, that was the way they froze.

"_Listen up and listen good, Thani – I learned this lesson the hard way from a friend of mine. When an opponent turns their back on you, it means you're not worth seeing their eyes."_

_GET. OUT!_

_What are you hiding, woman?_

_Why should I tell you? BACK OFF!_

Hiei opened his eyes and shook her off of his arm. "You turned your back on her."

"You're conveniently ignoring the fact that you just tried to _pry open my head," _Raize snarled through gritted, bloody teeth.

"Not ignoring," he answered calmly. "Just paying attention to the more important thing at the moment. So let me repeat that – you turned your back on Thani. Why?"

The tiny youkai sighed and forced herself to put her anger on hold. "Do you know why I can't fight, Hiei?"

"Because you don't want to kill someone."

"Not just that. I don't even want to come close; I don't want to be serious when I fight. If I injure someone, even a little bit, then this damn annoying voice starts talking at my ear – 'do it, you know you want to'," she taunted. "I _want _to kill. You don't know how much I want to. Any tiny lapse of judgement... it eats at me. The insanity, the hatred... all because I came so close once, and it was the best thing in the world to bring Aidan to his knees, tear him apart... having that taken away from me was like taking away an addict's favorite drug."

Hiei held out his arm. "That completely explains why you just bit me. Again."

She laughed. "Good point. See, you're so much stronger than me that it doesn't matter. I could tear into you until I'm delirious from blood loss and it wouldn't make a difference, because even if I let loose, I am incapable of killing you. I think I've gotten better since the imitation dragon fight; then I couldn't quite get my brain to process exactly how much stronger you are. Now, it's not too hard... you've beaten it into me enough."

"Which still doesn't justify the way you fought Thani."

"If I turn my back, I guess it sort of... removes me from the situation. That way I don't think, I just react."

"Then why did you not use that earlier?"

A sigh escaped her, almost guiltily, like she'd tried to hold it back and failed. "Damn, you ask a lot of questions."

"I'm not reading your mind again, that's why."

"Okay, I think I'm gonna have to show you the answer to this one. And use your blade – it'll get the point across faster," she grinned, showing too many teeth for the expression to be friendly. Then she turned around and let her hands lay at her sides without tension, without even a twitch or hint that she was about to move.

Hiei was skeptical, but he drew his katana anyway and whirled it once over his wrist before bringing it down in a vertical strike towards Raize's head.

Her response was instantaneous. She glanced the blade off the knuckles of her right fist and bent her arm, sending her elbow straight back into Hiei's ribs. The whoosh of his breath made her nod in satisfaction and shake slick blood off her hand. "That was good. Again."

So they went another round.

"Again."

And another.

"Again."

And another.

"Again!"

By the eighth attack, Raize was shaking, and not from exhaustion. "Get ready, Hiei. This is the answer to your question," she shuddered, and turned her back.

Hiei's eyes narrowed; what was she doing? But he did as she asked and swiped at her side.

Raize gave a strangled half-scream and flinched back, ducking her head. He was two millimeters shy of cutting her in half. After a long moment, she sighed and straightened up again. "That's why I can't just start out with my back to an opponent. After a while, I get used to it – it's like developing eyes on the back of my head. Sensory overload. I start to sense everything around me, and then some things that aren't, and it gets to be too much and I can't distance myself from the situation." When her muscles refused to stop shaking, she sat down on the ground with an 'umf' sound. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this. Maybe I'm supposed to die, because I can't hold my own. Pfft. That's pretty sad."

Hiei's lip curled; he looked like he was about to snarl at her. But that wasn't exactly what he did – in fact, Raize was almost sure she was hearing things. Because this... this just didn't happen. It was a cosmic law somewhere that this _did not happen because it was too damn scary to consider._ A barely audible snicker shivered through Hiei, then another, and then he was laughing uncontrollably, head bent, one hand pressed to his forehead. The sound was harsh like crunching gravel, accusatory and mocking. "Not cut out for this? _Supposed to die?" _Even when he tried to talk, he was gasping, unable to stop. "Don't waste my time!"

At first, Raize's jaw dropped, understandably shocked out of her wits. Then, slowly, her eyes narrowed and shock gave way to fury. He was _laughing _at her. _Laughing. _For wasting _his _time because it didn't matter if she knew the mechanics, she _couldn't _fight, dammit, it wasn't her _fault._ "Oh, that was not funny," she growled, shooting to her feet like a bullet. She took two steps back and dug her feet into the ground, and then she was flying. She pushed the counterclockwise spin of her jump _higher, damn you, higher! – _until she was level with her target, then lashed out with one momentum-charged, booted foot. It was by far the best, most powerful butterfly kick she'd ever landed.

Hiei abruptly shut up as his head snapped to the side forcefully, mouth still open. His ears rang as he looked up slowly, a hundred different ways to kill her burning calculatedly in his eyes.

Raize balanced gently, tensely on her toes three steps away from him, ready to bolt, openly surprised with herself. Her eyes were wide, but her mouth trembled like she was trying to hold back laughter. When she spoke, a sheepish, 'don't-kill-me-please?' grin broke free and curled impishly at her lips. "I just butterfly kicked you in the head," she squeaked. "Shit. I just butterfly kicked you in the head."

The venom in his glare didn't lessen one bit, but he made no move to attack her, despite the footprint on the left side of his face. "Now why the hell didn't you use that earlier?" He reached up and scuffed away blood from his split bottom lip, watching her expectantly.

The tiny youkai tilted her head. "_Huh?" _One eye squeezed half-shut incredulously – she'd been sure that he was going to hit her, at least.

"You call that a butterfly kick?"

"Yeah..." That strange look was still on her face, doing nothing to hide her complete and total confusion.

"Do you consider it a dance move or an attack?"

She thought for a second, finally straightening her head up with a blink. "Um... multipurpose?"

He turned his head back toward the city like he was about to call for someone, although he didn't say anything until he was facing her again. "You've already tried distancing yourself, and it doesn't work. So this time, use the other extreme. Instead of fighting, do what you're good at."

"What, dance? Like that one movie that was so cheesy and predictable?" She gave him one of her 'what-the-hell?' looks. "Are you crazy?"

"I'd have to be, to put up with you," he retorted. "Come on. I don't have all day."

Raize gave an unintelligible grumble and backed up, then rolled her slim shoulders and stood still. "How am I gonna know what move to make?"

"You're the dancer, not me. Figure it out." He picked up his sword – which he'd dropped when she kicked him – and faced off.

She squeaked and ducked under his blade when he lunged, then staggered backward when his knee hit her chest.

"You're over-thinking it."

"You would be too if someone just suddenly told you to start dancing!" She snarled.

He caught her shoulders when she stood back up, holding her still so she would look at him. "Pick a song. Listen to it. Then dance. No thinking involved – it's perfect for you."

She snorted in response to the jab. "You make it sound so simple."

"Isn't it? Read me. Watch for a pattern."

She folded her arms, glaring at him for a long moment, brain clicking away furiously. But he was serious. She _was _a dancer; it was evident in everything she did. But, but, but... how in the hell could dance moves be used in a fight? The butterfly kick was special; it was her favorite, the move that gave her wings and a weapon at the same time. Other moves were different. They might make her look boneless, but that was it.

Then she saw the edge of a pattern in every move she used when she was dancing. Scissor kick – offensive. Back-bend – defensive. Butterfly kick – offensive. Pirouette – either, depending on which way. Locking could be used for a sudden switch in direction. Isolations of any kind were defensive – control over every single muscle was a good advantage in dodging several blows at once and still leaving room for an attack.

The pattern solidified then, and the spark in her eyes that Hiei had been waiting for finally came, lighting her whole face up. She'd been fighting all along, and she just hadn't seen it. She'd been trying to separate herself from the very thing she loved, and hadn't even realized it. That was why she wore boots that could smash a person's skull in – her primary weapons were her feet. She could use her hands, sure, but her whole life was in her feet – running, dancing, fighting – all of it.

"Well bravo, Mister Grumpy," she grinned. "I think you just managed to teach an old dog a new trick. Try again? Promise I won't kick you in the face anymore." She stepped back again, focused this time, and shoved her awareness out as far as it would go, reading into her opponent as far as her eyes would see. He was coiled back like a snake, waiting, so calm on the outside – but she knew better than that. Her ears twitched when she heard the sound she'd been listening for – the beat of his heart, _thud... thud... thud, _which became the bass track for the song she matched to him.

_A sound ahead from distant peaks..._

_A song that all my brothers sing..._

_It's just out of reach..._

_To join them I'd need the wings_

_that heaven denied me..._

_It's like you're deaf to my voice,_

_but I've been here for every moment,_

_waiting on your call to move..._

_If you could just make a choice,_

_I know you would find me wanting_

_only to be close to you..._

_(A song ahead from distant peaks..._

_A song that all my brothers sing...)_

The whole world exploded in movement and energy – "_YOU KEEP DENYING MY LEAD!" – _and this time when Hiei sliced at her head, she dropped into a back-bend so low that her shoulders brushed the ground and skidded onto her knees to avoid the kick that would've caught her – _"BECAUSE I'VE TRIED, I'VE NEVER PULLED BACK MY REACH," – _if she had just ducked. Then she spun to her feet – _"AND I'VE STAYED AND I'VE DIED, BUT YOU KEEP LOOKING FOR ME WHERE I'M NOT!" – _and pirouetted so they were back-to-back with only an inch or so of space between them. When he caught her wrist and yanked her backwards, she ducked under his arm with a twist of her shoulder – _"I WON'T BE JUST WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BE!" – _and used the momentum to power another leap. _"YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE, AND JUST TRUST THAT I CAN BE EVERYTHING!"_

_It's like you're deaf to my voice_

"_BUT I'M NOT!"_

_But I've been here for every moment_

"_AND I'VE FOUGHT!"_

_Waiting on your call to move..._

"_JUST CALL TO MOVE!"_

_If you could just make a choice_

"_OH I HAVE!"_

There was no space for a full butterfly kick, so she threw both feet into Hiei's back together, crashing into him and sending them both tumbling to the ground.

_I know you would find me wanting_

"_I JUST WANT..."_

_only to be close to you..._

"_ALL OF YOU!"_

_If you would just try,_

_and let me pry all your grips on worries (away),_

_I would come alive in your life_

_and let you find the flight you're longing –_

She didn't move for a second, stunned speechless. Then, realizing she'd actually _knocked Hiei flat, _she bolted to her feet and sprinted a victory lap around the meadow, hands in the air, laughing so loud her voice rang through the sky and echoed back to her. Then she tripped over a rock hidden in the grass and skidded face-first, full-force into the ground with an angrily surprised "YARF!" sound.

Hiei sat up when he heard her yelp, then dropped his head into one hand irritably. "Gods, why _do _I put up with you?" He grumbled under his breath. "You're not done yet, idiot!" There was an almost exhausted note in his voice as he watched her back-flip to her feet.

Raize lost focus in midair and landed on her head with a squeak. "Whaaaat?"

"Finally, revenge," he muttered wryly. "Just because you managed to knock me over doesn't mean you would've won the fight. Besides, even _if _Aidan's energy is similar to mine, he's not the only one you'll be fighting in your life."

"Oh... kay?"

"Consider this variety practice." Hiei stood and sheathed his blade, then folded his arms, waiting for something.

Or some_one. _Two figures loped out of the trees, one tall and burly, the other more compact and energetic.

"Yo!" A voice Raize hadn't heard in a long time called out lazily. "You guys bored? Have you killed each other yet?"

"Wishful thinking, Yusuke!" Raize answered with a lopsided grin. "What's up?"

"We heard Hiei call us, but he wouldn't say what for!" Kuwabara jumped in. "What's goin' on?"

Hiei tossed his head at Raize. "Fight her."

Raize deadpanned. "One at a time, or both together, oh guru of the royal duel?"

He didn't have time to shoot a retort back to her before Yusuke saw his face...

"Hiei? Why's there a boot print on your face?" He asked, grinning mischievously as his eyes traced the vaguely boot-shaped bruise on the left side of Hiei's face, stopping at his split lip.

The fire youkai rolled his eyes and didn't answer, turning his back on them and walking back to the edge of the trees.

"Guilty as charged, dude," Raize laughed. "Check the shoe if you don't believe me."

"_How?" _Kuwabara asked simply, jaw dropping.

"I guess if you're really curious, I can show you," she winked impishly.

Yusuke backed out of the way, hands in his pockets. "Now this, I gotta see."

Kuwabara faced the tiny menace with a solemn look in his dark eyes. "I don't hit girls, Raize. It's against my code."

Raize at least had the decency to keep from slapping her palm against her forehead, but she definitely wanted to. "Dude, I'm a psycho. I don't think I count."

"You're a girl. You count."

She let her electric eyes fall closed so he wouldn't see them roll. "I'm not gonna fight you if you won't fight back. That's against _my _code. So we're at an impasse."

Yusuke snickered. "You two! Damn! Okay, Kuwa, if you won't, I will."

Raize twitched. "Oh hell," was what she said, but what she thought was _'gonna get my ass kicked, gonna get my ass kicked, REALLY gonna get my ass kicked...' _

Hiei was the fire youkai. Yusuke wasn't, but he acted like fire was his whole being, wild and warm and dangerous down to the white-hot core. His hands curled into fists that had seen so many fights before and his eyes narrowed in anticipation.

Raize rolled her shoulders again and reached out, looking for anything to base a song off of in his demeanor. She didn't want to fall back on 'Reveries of Flight', even if it was a good tune, but at the same time was cautious of picking something too slow. Hiei had gone easy on her on purpose, probably because he wanted to make damn sure she knew where she stood; she got the feeling that Yusuke wouldn't show any mercy.

He stepped toward her. "You ready?"

Raize started to panic. _Not enough time, not enough time! _Then it was right in front of her, in the movement of his steps, taking the form of a playful, gutsy electric guitar. _'Jordan'. _It was an instrumental; it didn't need words. The guitar was its voice instead, backed by drums that promised broken drumsticks and gave the voice a heartbeat.

_Holy crap, he's fast! _Raize gulped as she ducked and twisted, forcing each muscle to move exactly where she wanted so she didn't give up any ground.

"I'm waiting, midget! Show me what you got!"

"Well it'll prolly end up in your shoulder rather than your head, 'cause Hiei's shorter than you," she answered, weaving around his lightning-fast fists. One clipped her ear, leaving it ringing, and another brushed past her shoulder with a sting.

"So?"

"Your shoulder's gonna be tougher than your head, dumbass. I'm gonna end up breaking my foot."

"Can you say 'does not care' in that freaky language I've heard about you speaking?"

Raize barked out a laugh and skidded backwards, then took two lunging steps forward again to fuel the counterclockwise whirl of the butterfly kick. "Fine, but you're paying the doctor bill!" She pulled her body in tight without thinking, unknowingly making the spin faster, higher, level with him. The sheer speed and power of the jump carried her straight up past his shoulder, which she wasn't prepared for. Raize yelped and lost focus, barely scraping Yusuke's cheekbone with the side of her foot before tumbling heels-over-head and smacking into the ground on the backs of her shoulders.

"Argh," she muttered, easing herself onto her side to take the strain off her back.

"I thought you said it would end up in my shoulder!" He laughed, watching her flop bonelessly onto her stomach.

"I thought it would!" She grumbled, voice muffled against the ground.

"Then what happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. I've never pulled off a butterfly that high."

"Newsflash, crazy lady," he snickered. "Ya didn't actually pull it off. That little tap isn't even gonna leave a bruise."

"Oh, shut up. I didn't even know I was capable of that." She sat up slowly, leaning over so her elbows rested on the insides of her knees and her knuckles supported her head.

"The spin added the extra height." For the first time since Yusuke had commented on the bruise covering half of his face, Hiei spoke. He blinked, then frowned at her incredulous look. "You didn't know that?"

"I didn't know it could make that much of a difference. I guess I've just never spun that fast before."

"More speed in the rotation would be an improvement, but you'll have to watch your timing."

Raize glanced over at him, one eyebrow arched neatly. "Am I talking to Hiei or Kurama now?" The question was obviously sarcastic, but he answered it anyway.

"Kurama. He wanted to know what happened and he's offering his input, so listen up, woman."

She grinned. "Oh, I'm all ears, guru."

"He says to watch your height when you start to rotate. Try jumping on your weaker foot so the stronger one can carry the spin."

"How'm I gonna get the initial height then?" A crease formed between her eyebrows as they slanted downward. "My right foot won't be able to give me as much lift."

Hiei tilted his head and closed his eyes, listening to an internal voice. "But if your left foot is already airborne, it can work at the same time as your right, which creates an augmented initial jump." _Fox, is she even going to understand half of this? _He asked skeptically.

_She understands, don't worry._

_Who says I'm worried? I just don't want to repeat myself._

The only response was a quiet laugh.

"Oh. Okay," Raize muttered, rolling back to her feet. "Yusuke, wanna be my guinea pig?"

"Sure," he answered amiably with a lazy smile. "'S not like you're gonna murder me or anything. You still going for my head?"

"Nose. Yep," she replied. "So I'm trusting you to block me, okay?"

"Have at it, midget."

Raize spun where she stood experimentally, getting a feel for starting on her right foot instead of her left. Then she took one step back for balance, two steps forward, and launched herself into the air, a little less graceful than usual, but effective all the same. Her spin was fast and strong, so she had no problem reaching the height she needed, but she lashed out too late and disrupted the momentum of the move. She wobbled, wind-milled, and then crashed to the ground, rolling twice, three times, four, over and over on her side. "Argh. Argh. Argh," she muttered as she tumbled sideways.

Yusuke laughed again, unimpressed. "You're a little late." He hadn't even had to block that one; it had ended up behind his head instead of smashing into his nose.

Kuwabara piped up from a few feet away. "Hey, try kicking out earlier than usual. You're using timing from your old jumps, right? But you're going faster now, so it's messing you up."

Raize blinked at him. "Why did I not think of that?" She mentally smacked her forehead, then leaped up again, flashing a grateful smile at the copper-haired teen. "Thanks, man."

"Eh, don't mention it." His return smile was a little hesitant, but it was there. It made Raize feel accomplished, for some reason.

"Nose again?" Yusuke asked, looking pleasantly bored.

"Yup. Third time's the charm."

Third time was not the charm. It was close enough, though. Raize's foot whirled and smacked him hard in the forehead, making him rock back on his heels to keep his balance.

"Geez, Raize! You suck!" He couldn't help but grin at her terrible excuse for aim. "Maybe you should try attacking first and _then _telling me what I was supposed to block!" There was a red outline of her heel on his forehead, which would probably leave a mild bruise. It hadn't had as much power as the one she'd graced Hiei with, though. That one had been backed by anger and a healthy dose of frustration. She'd calmed down some since then.

Raize snickered. "At least I landed it this time. That's kind of a long way down for me, especially in a spin. Glad I didn't turn an ankle or two. Hey Kuwabara, if I asked nicely, would you take Yusuke's place as my guinea pig? All you'd have to do is block me."

"Um, sure, I guess," he replied, jogging over to them. "Why?"

"You're taller. I wanna see how high I can push this thing and still retain a good landing."

"Okay, go for it."

"Mind your face," she reminded, and backed up in preparation for another jump. As she pushed off the ground, she crossed her arms over her chest, pulling her elbows in and whipping her torso around to make the spin faster. When she kicked out, her boot smacked against Kuwabara's forearm, and then she was on the ground again, crouched over, laughing despite the lingering sting of the landing in her feet.

"Nice one, shrimp!" Kuwabara grinned, holding out one hand toward her.

She took it and bounded up from the grass, eyes bright. "Thanks. You okay?"

"Fine; what about your foot?"

"It's been through worse. Just out of curiosity, what would've happened if you hadn't blocked me?"

He thought for a second. "My neck would probably hurt."

Yusuke burst out laughing. "Doesn't matter who you're attacking – you still can't aim worth a damn!"

Raize blew raspberries at him. "At least I can hit _something._"

"Aw. Touche," he replied, disappointed.

"Hitting something isn't good enough, idiot. But it's all you have time for right now. Let's go," Hiei called from his post by the trees, then turned back toward the city and walked off.

Raize stared after him, willing veins to keep from popping out on her forehead. "I swear..."

"That was sudden," Yusuke remarked. "Wonder if the voices in his head are talking again."

Raize and Kuwabara snickered.

"Don't make me come back there, woman!" Hiei wasn't visible anymore, but Raize could imagine the annoyed glare on his face well enough.

She sighed and trotted after him, waving to Yusuke and Kuwabara before disappearing into the trees after him. "Later, guys!"

They looked at each other. "Ramen?" Yusuke asked.

Kuwabara shrugged and followed him out of the meadow, leaving only footprints in his wake.

…

"What was that, Hiei? Why so abrupt?" Raize asked as she caught up to the silent youkai.

"The fox wants to see you. Now."

"Why?"

"Ask him. He's in the park."

The rest of the journey was silent – Hiei because that was just how he was, and Raize because she was on edge. Why would Kurama not wait until she'd gotten home? What was so urgent? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

Hiei disappeared right before they got to the park and Raize didn't call after him to ask why. She was too preoccupied worrying about what news was waiting for her.

She found Kurama sitting on a bench across from a swingset, reading peacefully. He smiled when he heard her walking toward him.

"How was it?"

Raize sat down beside him and pulled her knees to her chest, unable to stop the smirk that crept over her face. "I butterfly-kicked Hiei in the head."

A snicker slipped out before Kurama could clap a hand over his mouth. "Oh?"

"The whole left side of his face is one gigantic bruise and his lip is split."

"How did he take it?"

"Well, I'm still alive, so... apparently pretty well, which surprised the hell out of me. Speaking of hell... what's going on?"

He bookmarked his page and set his book down beside him, then folded his arms. "Before I tell you, I want you to promise me something."

"I don't promise, fox boy. I'm too prone to breaking them."

"You're going to promise this time, Raize – or I will make your life hell."

She snarled through ground teeth, glaring at him reproachfully. "What are you, my dad? Why would I promise you something I have no intention of keeping? Why would I disappoint you like that?"

"Because after all this, I will not let you die for the sake of pride, Raize."

Her face went blank in shock. "Damn. I was right, this _is _bad," she said after a stretch of tense silence. "Okay, so for the sake of argument, say I promise. What am I promising to?"

"You're going to promise that you won't go anywhere without one of us, and you won't go looking for trouble. You're also going to swear that you won't intentionally break that promise, because if you do, I will have no qualms about turning Hiei loose and letting him beat you senseless. He has plenty of reasons to want to."

"Why would I promise to something like _that?" _She squawked indignantly.

"I told you, if you don't, I will make your life – what's left of it – hell, with no regrets. So if nothing else, agree for the sake of your selfish side."

Raize clamped her jaw shut and stared at him, mouth twisted into a thoughtful expression. Then she let her feet drop to the ground and stood, holding out one hand. "Walk me home?"

He sighed. "You're not going to read the answer out of me this time, Raize."

"Then you should have no reason to disagree. I'm practically harmless."

A wry laugh escaped him as he stood, picked up his book, and let her link her hand in his. "Anything but harmless, Raize. You have no idea how much havoc you've wreaked."

She grinned up at him. "How would you know? Wait, don't answer that." Her eyes wandered over his face and the set of his shoulders, and then she gently let go of his hand and ran ahead, only to stop ten paces away, turn around, and watch him as he caught up with her again. After doing the same thing twice more, she fell back into step beside him. "You're wrong, Kurama," she murmured, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"Am I?"

"You said I wouldn't be able to read the answer out of you. You're wrong."

"How so?"

"You didn't go back home after you left yesterday. Or, this morning, I should say. You went to the city. Somewhere crowded; not sophisticated. Probably underground. And it has something to do with something that only Hiei knows, because while you were there, Yusuke was beating the crap out of me, and you had to ask Hiei about something and that's how you knew what I was doing. What did he know that you didn't? It would've had to be something that could kill me, since you're trying to make me promise to practically give up every bit of freedom I own." They took the stairs up to her apartment, tapping out an even, hypnotic rhythm against the floor.

Kurama smiled cryptically as they reached her door. "You're not quite there yet. I'm not entirely wrong. But you are close."

"Nyeh. I'm getting there. Coming inside?" She led the way into her kitchen, flipping on the light and plunking herself down at the table.

"I'm not telling you until you promise." He sat down across from her, holding her searching eyes placidly.

Raize glared at him for a minute, then threw up her hands, giving in. "Oh, fine! I promise not to go anywhere without one of you guys, blah blah blah. What the hell's going on?"

His face didn't change when he spoke, voice flat and quiet and slightly terrifying. "I found Aidan."

…

_A/N: Cliffy? Nyeh, don't worry. 15 should be out faster than this monstrosity was. -.-U I still don't like parts of this one; they're kinda awkward. Or at least I think they are. Whatever. _

_So Raize kicked Hiei in the head. Serves him right. :]_

_Thanks for reading; I appreciate it. _

_And I use semicolons too much._


	16. Horrible Cliches, Pt 1

15. Horrible Cliches, Pt. 1

"You WHAT?" Raize hissed, bolting to her feet and almost knocking her chair over. She backed up until she hit the doorway to the living room, staring wide-eyed at Kurama's calm face.

"You were close to figuring it out on your own. I didn't think it would be that much of a shock," he replied.

"That's what you had to ask Hiei about, isn't it? You didn't know what he looks like. Where did you find him?" She didn't move, barely dared to breathe.

"Underground, like you guessed."

"Underground and crowded and unsophisticated – that could be several places. Specify," she commanded tersely, swallowing. Her mouth felt dry, as if it was stuffed with cotton.

"Not until you calm down." He nodded toward her abandoned chair.

"I am calm!" She snapped, hiding her shaking hands behind her back.

"Sit down, Raize. It's all right."

She didn't move, but she did close her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Okay, you _were _right about one thing. I _am _gonna want to break that promise."

"But you won't, because you know the consequences."

Raize flitted to the window and perched on the sill, hugging her knees. "I hate it when you're right. So – you said underground."

"A nightclub."

She snorted. "Ha, ha, very funny. Next you'll be telling me that I'm a princess with a tragic past, undiscovered power, and an enchanted tiara that I can use to time travel. Nice try, but I don't like cliches."

"I'm serious, Raize. He's the owner." There was an undercurrent of amusement lurking in his voice.

"I don't believe you," she grumbled flatly.

He rolled his eyes and pulled a silver cellphone out of his pocket, flipping it open and tapping a button. When he turned it toward her, there was no mistaking Aidan's spiky orange hair, which stood out in a packed, dimly-lit room like a fart in church.

Raize's mouth fell open. "No way. Man... that is such an over-used scenario. In any case, why the hell would he even own a nightclub? What's the point?" She stood and stretched, then dropped lightly to the floor and paced from the stove to the living room to the table and back again.

"It's the energy there. All those people – human and youkai – they create a field of energy that could feed an army. My guess is that Aidan is gaining power by consuming it.

Raize stopped abruptly and whirled toward him, eyes narrowed. "There's more to it than that."

"True, the facts don't quite add up. Why would he own a nightclub instead of just visiting it?"

"Because it's not just him that's eating energy. Aidan could not have put me in that coma – that's well beyond his skill range, no matter what he's been doing since the nine. He's harboring some other youkai, maybe more than one that can cross dimensions and needs all that energy to do it."

"That makes sense. Perhaps I should go back tonight and see what else I can find."

"You better take a nap then. I know you don't survive on coffee and insomnia."

It was like her words flipped a switch – for the first time in countless hours, Kurama felt exhaustion rear its ugly head. He covered a yawn with one hand and managed to nod without falling over.

Raize chewed her lip and scuffed her foot against the floor, rolling her ankle forward and back to stretch it out. "Um, Kurama? You said I can't go anywhere without one of you guys… so what if I just went with you?"

His response was automatic. "No."

"But –"

"No, Raize."

"Would you _think _about it before you shoot me down?" She asked irritably. "Just think about it for a second! I can find Aidan even if he's a needle in a haystack. I know his energy; if I can get within half a mile of him, I can help you. I'll also be able to identify the youkai that put me in a coma – I know that one's energy now because it was everywhere in my dream world. I'd stay with you. I wouldn't wander off. You can even keep me on a leash if you want; I know you don't trust me. But I'm not staying here."

"I told you, _no."_

"Okay. I'll be following you then."

"Raize –"

"I. Am not. Staying here. You told me to be with one of you at all times. This way, I'm keeping my promise."

"I would've thought that you would want to stay away from Aidan at all costs." Kurama switched tactics, folding his arms. He wasn't going to give up that easily.

Raize snorted, recognizing the familiar cool determination in his eyes. "I hate him; that doesn't necessarily mean avoiding him. I want information on him. I want him dead."

"What if he sees you? He won't hesitate to attack you again; you know that."

She thought for a second, head tilted, eyes narrowed, lips pursed. Then a slow grin spread over her face, like the ocean tide rolling in. "Then I'll just give myself a new face."

"Explain." Her Cheshire smile made him curious and suspicious at the same instant.

She tapped one finger against her constantly-abused bottom lip. "I can cut my hair and dye it black, and wear my sneakers and basketball shorts instead of my jumpsuit."

"Raize. Nightclub." He spread one hand across his forehead and rubbed his temples.

"Oh yeah. Damn. I gotta dress up?"

"You don't have to if you stay here."

"Forget it. I'm going."

"He'll know it's you, Raize. There is no way around that."

"You overestimate him."

"You underestimate him."

"He's looking for a girl with white hair, right? So I'll just be a guy with black hair."

"Cross-dressing is your plan?" He gave her a blank look.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me _you've _never cross-dressed for something," she teased.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to resist the urge to throw something at her. "It's not something I would ever willingly repeat."

"What was your cover last time? College kid?"

"Yes… what about it?"

"So just pretend you're gay and I'm your date."

He threw the salt shaker at her with a flick of his wrist. "You idiot."

"I'm serious!" She deflected the missile with a wave of one hand, sending salt flying everywhere. Her grin widened when she spoke again. "Or is that too threatening to your manliness?"

The pepper shaker followed the salt shaker, but this time Raize caught it with a maniacal laugh and set it on the windowsill beside her. "You're right about a few things. If he's looking for me in the crowd – a tiny girl with green eyes, white hair, no piercings – then he'll find me. But if I go as a guy, cut my hair, dye it black, and pierce my ears in three places, then he won't find me. I know this guy, love. I know how he works."

Kurama ticked off loopholes on his fingers. "Mannerisms? White eyelashes? Voice? Eye color? Those are all very distinct characteristics that you seem to be glossing over."

She flicked the pepper that had stuck to her fingers at him nonchalantly. "Relax, most of that is no big deal. For starters, I can change my mannerisms. Comes with the combination of watching people and meddling so much. You wanna see?" She bounced onto the floor with an eager little skip, hands braced on her bony hips.

"All right," Kurama answered after a highly un-amused moment of silence. "Humor me."

Raize squared her shoulders and padded from windowsill to stove to living room and back again. Her imitation wasn't perfect, but it was quite convincing nonetheless. She grinned when she saw the edge of a smile creeping across his face. "Come on, smile, you know you want to!" She cooed impishly.

His smile widened by just a tiny fraction. "Does he know you can do that?"

"Nope. It's hard enough just being _me _and not pissing him off. You'd have to scrape me off the sidewalk with chopsticks if he found out I can imitate him. Not to mention the fact that the other two heathens would be all over him for it."

The fox shook his head. "Incredible. Not only are you an unstable and slightly psychotic prankster, but you can also imitate Hiei almost perfectly. If I was religious at all, I would consider praying for mercy and forgiveness right now."

She tilted her head quizzically. "Both?"

"Forgiveness for whatever I've done to bring this on myself, and mercy from the havoc I'm going to have to endure."

An evil chuckle escaped her and she spun to his side. "Again?"

"If you must. But leave your hands in your pockets this time and make your stride a little longer. He takes larger steps than most."

She complied, then laughed as she made it around the room and back. "Now I know why he's so fast. But before I answer the other things you listed, is that the one you want me to use? 'Cause he really doesn't seem like…" She shrugged, as if that was the rest of her sentence.

"Who else can you do?"

"Uhm… you, Kuwabara, Naomi, Jo, Aidan, some people from work… Oh. Hey. Hey, using Aidan's own set of mannerisms on him would mess with his head to _no end. _'Cause sometimes he's not very conscious of what he does, so he never notices his 'tells'. Seeing them in another person would definitely throw him for a loop."

"For example?"

"Just small things, really. The way he tilts his head, the way he turns one foot when he walks, how he keeps his hands… I could go on all day. Seriously. I'd have a euphoric attack if I got to send him on a psych trip like that. Throw him off-balance and he'll be so distracted that he won't suspect a thing!" She grinned so wide that her lips split open again, but she didn't seem connected to reality enough to care as she pirouetted gleefully around the room.

"Raize," Kurama snapped. "Remember yourself."

She stopped abruptly and ducked her head, clasping her hands behind her back, elbows tucked tight against her body. "I'm sorry."

"Look at me."

She didn't move.

"Raize, look at me."

"No! You already know what you'll see. Why would I disappoint you any more than I have already?"

"Disappoint…? Where did that come from?" He asked quietly, eyes narrowing. She'd switched to scary mode again.

Without warning, one of her hands shot out mechanically, curled into a loose fist. "Dye the eyelashes, use the lower register of the voice, keep the eyes down or wear glasses," she replied to the loopholes he'd listed earlier, indicating each with fingers like spider legs that slowly extended from her fist. "Of course, that's if I haven't convinced you to try and stop me from going with you."

He considered saying exactly that, just for spite – she was unstable and therefore unfit to go anywhere. He didn't want her to think that she was manipulating him – that could get very complicated very fast. When he stood up to reply, she spoke again.

"You're using a spoiled child as a reference for how to deal with me," she growled. "It's insulting."

"You're doing it to yourself," he shot back flatly. "What you said earlier was a poorly-disguised threat. If I had said no, you would've had an excuse to guilt me into changing my mind and possibly owing you something, depending on how far you were willing to take the charade. If I had said yes, you would've thought that you could manipulate me, and that is something I will not allow. Spoiled children often use the same devices on their weak-minded parents; I assume you have some experience in that area."

"I'm sorry. It wasn't a threat – really, it wasn't. I know I'm unstable. I know I shouldn't go. I said that because I was kinda half-hoping you'd make me stay here."

"Then why are you trying to convince me to let you go?"

She made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat. "I want to go. I do. But I'm scared, and I'm selfish, so part of me wants you to stop me so I can stay home and bite my fingernails and worry like I'm good at. That's why I started 'poking' you, so to speak."

He followed the almost-imperceptible movement of her head toward the pepper shaker sitting innocently on the windowsill. "You expected me to throw that at you?"

She slid her feet against the floor and sat down cross-legged, keeping her eyes down the whole time. "I wanted to see if I could annoy you enough to throw it, yes. I wanted to know if you'd keep me in line if I went with you, just in case I got any stupid ideas. You know me… always in the middle of some mess."

"True. Well, I've made you promise enough already, so suppose _I_ promised _you _something this time."

"Go for it."

"I promise that if you accompany me, I will keep you safe. I will not let you do anything stupid, and I'm definitely not going to let you get into a fight."

"That's a heavy promise, fox boy. Especially with my track record," she mumbled wryly.

"Considering the promise I asked you to make, I think we're even. Now, do you think that will work?" A voice in the back of his head told him _'you're going to regret this. You're going to regret this with everything in you.' _He acknowledged it, and reminded himself that he was an idiot and the voice was probably right, then ignored its warning without a second thought.

When she looked up again, her grin was back, and there was no trace of the shadows that he'd known had been in her eyes. "It would take a miracle."

…

_A/N: Wow. I'm just digging myself a deeper grave all the time. XD Anyway. The whole argument/repartee/whatever-the-hell-it-was was interesting to write and I'm not even entirely sure that all of it makes sense. In any case, Kurama's smart and logical and by George he isn't gonna let Raize win! And he sort of doesn't... she's on a leash as long as she's with him. Oh the trials of the psycho midget. Just a warning, too... this thing is about to get ridiculous. Most of it has been kinda serious drama with funny moments, but the deeper it gets into the plot, the more outlandish and hysterical it'll get. JUST because I can. :) Constructive criticism embraced with open arms. Nonconstructive criticism embraced with flamethrowers. ^.^ Thanks for your time!_


	17. Horrible Cliches, Pt 2

16. Horrible Cliches, Pt. 2

_A/N: And now a word from our frequently absent author._

_(Earlier…) Me: blah blah blah stories… blah blah crap blah blah… someone reviewed on the 27__th__ of July, blah bl- WAIT. PEOPLE STILL READ THIS SHIT? O.O _

… _yeah that was pretty much how it went. I mean… I still think this thing sucks. That's my honest opinion about it except MAYBE for the last two or three chapters because Raize stops being such a Mary Sue. -.- GAH._

_In any case, even though this is my first fic and (I hate it, and) BLOODY HELL, NEVER AGAIN SHALL I WRITE SUCH CRAP, I kind of really fucked up and let you guys down by just quitting. (Conscience says: NAW, YA THINK?) Sooo… can I make it up to you amazing people by finishing the story? I don't promise much… only insanity. O.o_

_Oh, and moar people getting butterfly-kicked in the face._

_ONWARD! _

"Yusuke? You here?" It was almost dark. Buildings cast long, disfigured shadows over the street and sidewalk, seeking to envelop anyone who ventured outside. But the darkness didn't seem to bother one tiny shadow that drifted along and came to rest at a dimly-lit, yet cheerful ramen shop. It slipped under the lights without another sound.

"Yeah, what's up?" He poked his head up from where he sat behind the counter and looked around, then frowned, unable to locate the source of her voice.

She popped up right in front of him, grinning widely. "Hiya!"

"Hey, psycho! Whoa, what the hell did you do to your hair?" He reached over and caught her in a headlock, ruffling her pixie-cut black hair. "You look like a freak! Hey, nice eyebrows. How'd that happen?"

"It's probably best you don't ask," she laughed, then winced. "Ow, okay. My back."

"What's with your back?"

"Pfft, did you not see how many times I _landed_ on it? That butterfly's kinda dangerous if I screw it up. And screw it up I have. Many times."

He let her drop to the floor again. "Oh, right. So what're you doing here, anyway? Don't you have to work tonight?"

She sighed. "I'm thinking of quitting, at least until I'm through with all this. I can't keep making excuses, and I've gotten by with less before. And I'm here because I need a second opinion."

"On what?"

She spun to the center of the room and folded her arms, balancing her weight evenly on both feet. "Can I pass for a guy looking like this?"

He blinked. "Only if the guy you're passing for is gay."

A laugh bubbled up from her chest. "Okay then! This is a good thing."

He blinked again. "It is?"

She grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Eheh. Um, yeah… it's kind of a long story. Don't ask."

"Why not?" He was caught between making an innocent face and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. The result cracked Raize up again.

She skip-hopped to the door and ducked out, then poked her head back in and winked impishly at him. "'Cause then I'd have to kill you!"

He shook his head and didn't bother reminding her that she was obviously incapable of that anyway.

…

As per usual, Raize couldn't sit still while she waited for Kurama to stop by again. He was giving her one last day alone before she had to have someone with her at all times, though, and she didn't want to waste it. So she tried to figure out how Hiei got into her apartment without being seen.

She concluded that he would've had to run up the one wall that didn't have any windows, which was the south wall. Since the building was sandwiched close to a tall, quiet shop, it didn't look too difficult to maneuver – well, until she actually tried scaling it herself. The space was almost too narrow to hop from wall to wall and back again, zig-zagging to the top. She came close to smacking face-first into the side of someone's bathroom several times.

When she got to the roof, she flipped over a rail and landed lightly with her feet on either side of the skylight that looked down into her utility room. "Whoa, what?" She muttered to herself, crouching down to get a better look. Since she hardly had any clothes to wash, she didn't visit that room very often, and wasn't aware of the skylight. "Huh… gonna have to remember that's there."

Across the corner of the roof and over another rail was the window to her room, with barely any kind of ledge to support a pair of feet. Raize's head spun as she peered over the edge and caught sight of the ground below, dangerously far away. _Okay, so how did he…? _She vaulted over the rail, stomach lurching, then took a deep breath and leaped straight down. She caught the rail with shaking fingers, then dropped down so she was only holding on to the edge of the roof. All of a sudden, the windowsill was under her feet, welcome and sturdy, and Raize let go of the edge of the roof to scoot closer to the window. It was actually wider than it looked from above, giving way to a foot-deep alcove that provided shade for the double-paned safety glass. She snickered and smacked her forehead lightly in realization. _Architecture 101, Raize. Duh. _Satisfied that she'd discovered Hiei's most likely entry path, she tugged on the edge of the window to let herself back in, and promptly broke out into a cold sweat when it didn't budge.

"Oh crap," she squeaked, yanking at it harder without success. Carefully, adrenaline spiking through her feet and legs and chest and arms, she stood back up on the windowsill and reached for the edge of the roof. When it wasn't there, she stood on the very tips of her toes, hands stretched as far as they would go. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found it, then jumped and tried to swing herself back up to the safety of the concrete roof, which only resulted in her ribs and hips smacking painfully into the side of the building. She dropped back onto the windowsill with an undignified yelp and sat down, embarrassed and grumbling. "Damn him and his superior upper-body strength," she mumbled, and settled down to wait for Kurama. She wasn't stupid enough to risk being seen jumping off the side of a building – not when the streets were still crowded.

The unsuspecting redhead arrived about twenty minutes later, crossing the street in blissful ignorance. As he opened the door to the apartment complex, Raize threw a pebble of her energy at him, bouncing it off of his head before calling it back to herself. _Hey! Fox boy! Up here!_

His head snapped up and he scanned the side of the building quickly before spotting her waving hand, sticking out over the windowsill. "Raize?"

"Yeah, I know. Sucks, huh?"

"Oh, you must be joking," he groaned, pressing one hand to his forehead.

"Sorry. Nope."

"What are you doing up there?"

"Trying to see how Hiei got in last time."

"And?"

"Well, the experiment was a success. Getting down? Not so much. The window's locked and I'm not strong enough in my arms to pull myself back onto the roof."

He sighed and folded his arms. "Don't you think you should have considered that _before _you tried it?"

"Well _yeah. _Obviously. But I didn't, and here I am. Can you get me down?"

"I'm going to have to, if you're still planning on going with me to Aidan's nightclub. Of course, I could simply leave you there," he added as a serene afterthought.

She squeaked, then glared at him. "Seriously? That's not funny!"

He chuckled and started toward the south wall. "All right. Give me a moment."

"You know how to get up here too? Geez, does _everybody _know how to break into my house?"

A soul-crushing sigh met her ears as he stopped and turned back toward her, an amused half-smile playing across his face. "You insult me when you think _I_ don't, at the very least. But I'm not going up to the roof… I'd much rather enter through the door and unlock the window for you like a civilized human being. The door on the west side is closer to the elevator, which is faster than the stairs."

Raize grimaced. "Gah, fine! Just don't break any locks, okay?"

Kurama's laugh lingered by Raize's ears even after he disappeared toward the west-side door to the apartment complex. True to his word, he was inside and unlocking her window in under three minutes, which incited more grumbling from the water youkai on the windowsill.

"Geez, why do I even lock my door at night?" She complained, scooting inside and clicking the window shut.

"If it makes you feel any better, it did take me an extra ten seconds to bypass the youki locks on the window."

"Ten seconds?" She spluttered. "They may as well not even be there!"

"That's not true. Every second counts, after all," he laughed. "Now, let's go. It's almost ten o'clock, and I would rather be there a few minutes early."

"We're gonna walk?" Raize chirped, glancing in her mirror and ruffling her newly-blackened hair carelessly. In accordance with her typical theatrics, she'd put in subtle green and silver highlights, matching the more dramatic colors of youkai hair. It was Yusuke who had indirectly given her the idea – his hair glinted green in the sun occasionally. Although that could've just been the excessive hair gel he wore. She wasn't quite sure.

"Yes, it's only thirty minutes away on foot. Of course, you'll have to change first."

She groaned. "Please tell me I don't have to wear dress shoes or something."

Kurama smiled sweetly. "Really, Raize. Do you honestly see me as a sadist?"

Her narrowed green eyes flicked suspiciously over his angelic face. "Hell yes."

He made a mock-hurt face. "That wasn't necessary. Besides, I wasn't going to put you through the torture of wearing anything besides your boots, anyway. Just this." He held up a plastic bag that Raize didn't recall seeing earlier – although that really didn't surprise her since he could probably steal her whole apartment and stuff it in his coat without anyone noticing – and handed it to her. "I took the liberty of crafting a personality for you, to go with your change of mannerisms."

Raize snorted. "Please tell me you didn't 'craft' me right into an Aidan clone."

"That's twice you've underestimated me in one chapter, Raize. It's getting out-of-character for you," he chided, swiping at her head lightly.

"Fourth wall!" She squeaked, ducking out of his reach. "You know what happens when you break the fourth wall! Gradually, you become a real person, catapulted into the human world with no escape – and then you'd _really _have a giant mob of fangirls after your ass!"

He sighed a long-suffering sigh, shoulders slumping in mock-despair. "You say that as if I don't already."

"You mean they even found their way in here?" Raize yelped, spinning around wildly as if they were about to break down the door. "But – but – this is a fanfiction!"

"Go change, you paranoid midget," he chuckled. "I'll explain when we're outside."

Two and a half minutes later, Raize stepped out of the bathroom wearing a simple dark green button-down shirt, a black jacket, and black pants tucked into her scuffed-up boots. She stuck a tiny black ring into her left ear and fluffed her hair again, tugging at the ends uncomfortably. "It feels so weird," she grumbled, "not having any hair to flip over my face when I want to hide."

Kurama surveyed her transformation. "An ironic point to make, considering that our whole objective in this endeavor is to hide," he remarked. "Are you ready?"

She heaved a sigh. "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Now what was this about an actual mob of rabid fangirls?"

…

"You're _not _serious."

"I am quite serious."

Raize snickered. "So let me get this straight. Your infernal fangirls write _so much _fanfiction about you that they go into a coma in the real world, and their collective consciousness ends up _here?" _

"Unfortunately, yes. Although there is also the method of author-insertion. The more severe cases are often accompanied by numerous Mary Sues. In fact, it was agreed upon among all major characters within this universe that poor author-insertion is the worse of the two," Kurama explained as the pair wound their way through the quickly-darkening city streets."

"You mean authors sometimes make themselves _into _Mary Sues?" Raize grimaced.

He winced slightly in return. "Not only that, but they seem to have a rather irritating habit of bringing copies of _us _with them – which are inevitably sappy and out of character. One even managed to bring a Hiei with her that spouted poetry whenever it saw her. It was ridiculous."

The tiny psycho burst out laughing. "What happened to it?"

"Oh, they were both burned alive," he answered off-handedly. "You see that building on the left, just on the corner of the next block? The nightclub is under it."

"Just out of curiosity… what did he call it?"

Kurama grinned, sharp and far from friendly. "Oh, you'll love it."

"What?" Suspicion snapped through Raize's voice.

He turned one cold, envy-green eye on her. "It's called the Tiny Dancer."

The corner of Raize's mouth twitched. "Can I go get a restraining order right fast?" She squeaked.

He looped one arm through hers with a low, velvety laugh that matched his expression. "Time to face the music, Kiba. All puns intended."

"Kiba? Why Kiba?" She frowned as they ducked inside the building and trotted downstairs, changing her mannerisms as they went.

Kurama lifted one shoulder in an innocent shrug. "No reason."

"Bullshit," Raize grumbled, smacking him in the ribs. Her voice was deeper, proving that she'd slipped into its lower registers as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Why Kiba?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes, feigning annoyance. "Because you have a disturbing tendency to bite people."

She blinked. "For real? That's the only reason?"

"Well, Kiba does mean 'fang'."

Any reply she might have attempted to make was swallowed up by the sudden barrage of bass and raucous noise that spewed from the door Kurama opened like a tsunami from behind a flimsy dam. She arched one dyed eyebrow at him, then glanced inward anxiously.

He gestured toward the darkness. "After you, love."

"I'll kill you if you call me that all night," Raize glowered.

He just smiled his angelic smile and hip-checked her through the doorway, pulling the door shut quietly behind him.

"I thought nightclubs had… y'know, lines to get in, and stuff," Raize shouted over the music as they wound their way through the fringes of the crowd.

"That was the door Aidan showed me before I left last time," Kurama answered. "Apparently he reserves it for his most 'interesting' patrons, and keeps it hidden with a thick blanket of youki."

"But… he can't do that. At least he couldn't when I last saw him."

"Which only contributes to our collective theory, I suppose. Another youkai is here, working for him in exchange for a portion of the energy given off by both the humans and youkai that frequent this place."

Raize grunted in agreement, eyeing the dance floor warily. Instead of chewing her lip like she normally would have, however, she folded her arms and tapped one finger against her elbow.

Kurama noticed the subtle change and smiled inwardly at her effort to disguise even the small things in her nature. Then he followed her suspicious stare and laughed. "If you'd like to dance, then go dance, 'Kiba'."

"But what if Aidan sees me?" She hissed, scrunching her eyebrows down.

His shoulders rolled back in a languid shrug. "Just don't be yourself, and I'm sure you'll be completely safe."

Her left eye twitched. "I thought you promised _not _to let me do anything stupid."

He shrugged again. "Dancing isn't stupid, but being found out is. And we _are _here to gather information. In the center of the dance floor, it would be less difficult to pinpoint the location of a specific person's aura, correct?"

She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, glaring at the writhing mass of people on the dance floor. "Right, then. I'm going in."

_A/N the second: Raize is an idiot. I mean… who gets stuck on their windowsill twenty stories up because they forgot to unlock the window? … Stupid._

_Remember the skylight, and the fangirls conversation. They aren't pointless; they are the answer to life, the universe, and the question, "WHO WAS PHONE?" Oh yes. Creepypasta has invaded my life as well._

_In any case… guys, really, I can't thank you enough for putting up with my bullshit SINCE MARCH. That's right, I didn't update for FIVE MONTHS. GAAAHHH. I do plan to finish this, though. Please don't sic too many zombies/attack dogs on me. *scribbles away on chapter 17*_


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